The livelihoods and way of life of the fishing households, businesses, and communities dependent on the fishing industry are threatened by lingering effects of the human-made disaster associated with the prolonged and twice opening of the Bonnet Carre spillway in February to April and May to July 2019.

To save lives, properties, and the way of life in New Orleans and surrounding communities, the Bonnet Carre spillway was opened to release floodwater into Lake Pontchartrain and eventually into the Northern Gulf of Mexico fishing areas.

The massive volumes of freshwater dumped into the region’s fishing grounds brought with them harmful freshwater algae that bloomed all over the coast. Beaches were closed, and advisories were in place until Labor Day weekend.

The effects of the disaster confronting the Northern Gulf of Mexico will linger for some time. The economic hardships will further erode the quality of life of fishing households, businesses, and communities. At present, the region’s commercial fisheries are significantly disrupted by the global Covid-19 pandemic.

ESTIMATING COMMERCIAL FISHERIES DIRECT LOSSES

The commercial fishery impacts consist of losses of wild harvests by commercial fishers due to the prolonged freshwater intrusion.

The direct losses to the commercial fisheries are equal to the actual landing values at time t less the expected landing values at time t at time t. Recent NOAA Fisheries data showed substantial reductions in commercial landing values.

Watch the presentation that shows the direct economic impacts of the 2019 BCS openings to the Northern Gulf Of Mexico commercial fisheries - shrimp, blue crabs, and oysters at https://youtu.be/9I0iOb_3644.

This 27-slide presentation shows the direct economic impacts of the 2019 BCS openings to the Northern Gulf of Mexico's major commercial fisheries - shrimp, blue crabs, and oysters.