Feeling oily?

Since there's so much going on about the Oil spill in the gulf of mexico now, and its related to our topic on Water pollution, here's some light information for your general knowledge..

What happened?
Last week, there was an oil spill in the Gulf of mexico, located near the Mississippi River. (USA)The oil leak was triggered by a deadly rig explosion.

"The oil slick could become the nation's worst environmental disaster in decades, threatening hundreds of species of fish, birds and other wildlife along the Gulf Coast, one of the world's richest seafood grounds, teeming with shrimp, oysters and other marine life. Thicker oil was in waters south and east of the Mississippi delta about five miles offshore."

Some of the news reports had compared this to the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil spill. (One of the largest ecological disasters in history).

Impacts

Experts said the spill could also destroy the livelihood of commercial fishermen and shrimp catchers and impact recreational fishermen. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the state’s fishing industry is worth $265 million at dockside and has a total economic impact of $2.3 million.Tourism also could take a blow if beaches are fouled.