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The And Estuaries During The Gulf Coast Essay

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The marshlands and estuaries located throughout the Gulf Coast provide important breeding grounds and nurseries for the fishing and shrimping industries. In 2008, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the commercial fish and shellfish harvest from the five U.S. Gulf states was estimated to be 1.3 billion pounds valued at $661 million. "Oil spills are extremely harmful to marine life when they occur and often for years or even decades later," said Jacqueline Savitz, a marine scientist and climate campaign director at Oceana, an environmental group. She said spills could coat sea birds and limit their flying ability and damage fisheries by injuring marine organism 's systems related to respiration, vision and reproduction. Savitz said that the Gulf of Mexico is host to four species of endangered sea turtles and bluefin tuna, snapper and grouper. "Each of these can be affected," she said. "Turtles have to come to the surface to breathe and can be coated with oil or may swallow it." And, she added, the Gulf is one of only two nurseries for bluefin tuna, more than 90 percent of which return to their place of birth to spawn.
BP being the responsible party had the liability to bear all the costs and organizational duties associated with the cleanup effort while the Coast guard monitored and approved the things. Part of BPs liability depended on how much oil has been leaked. Therefore, it was in the financial interest of the company to do everything it could do to:

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