Looking Back: The Impact of the BP Oil Spill on Louisiana's Commercial Menhaden Fishing Industry
The BP oil spill—triggered by the Deepwater Horizon explosion 15 years ago last month—remains the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. The Deepwater Horizon explosion killed 11 people and released nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf, devastating ecosystems and contaminating key fishing grounds.
Among the species affected were menhaden—small, oily fish essential to the Gulf's ecosystem and Louisiana's economy. As filter feeders and prey for larger predators, they play a critical ecological role. Louisiana's menhaden fishery, one of the...
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