Local Expert Discusses Gulf Seafood Safety

While a recent AOL News article said the BP oil spill may finally be finished, St. Joseph's College biology professor Mahammed Rana said the resulting contamination could affect marine life in the Gulf of Mexico for years.

Patchogue Patch caught up with the local expert to discuss problems the spill could bring to the U.S. fishing industry and the food we eat.

Rana said four of the five U.S. fishing ports are located in the Gulf and generate 20 percent of the nation's seafood, s0 the spill will have lasting effects on the nation's fishing industry.

"Short-term effects include complete disappearance of crawfish, shellfish and fin fish, which will take about two years to recover," Rana said. Over the long term, contaminants could increase in concentration as they move up the Gulf food chain leading to fish with very high levels of toxins, he added.

If the spill causes the death or decline of Gulf plants, which are the starting point of the food chain for many species, such as shrimp and crabs, it could bring a "complete collapse in the Gulf ecosystem," he said.

He added the oil spill could also choke the gills of shellfish, leading to a significant decline in that industry.

Rana said becuase the oil spill has been reported to cause an increase in bacteria and a decrease in dissolved oxygen, the resulting toxic residue and heavy metal contamination could affect humans, along with all forms of marine life.

"These heavy metals can become part of the food chains, cause many diseases in humans and potentially become a liability for the shellfish industry," Rana said.

Local restaurants, such as The Oar, Harbor Crab Company and the Brick House Brewery, said they won't suffer from the oil spill because they get their fish supply from local waters, not the Gulf.

Rana said it's still important for consumers to understand the consequences of eating contaminated fish. "Although commercial fishing has recently reopened, it is strongly advised that consumers find out the health risks related to fish or shellfish caught in the Gulf," he said.