In light of the recent environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill releasing some 5,000 barrels of oil a day into the water, the cost, quality and availability of wild Gulf seafood-one of the United States’ main sources of domestic seafood, and a staple on menus at clubs and resorts across the country-is facing a frighteningly unknown future.
“The impact on Louisiana and Gulf Coast fisheries will range from the immediate to the long-term,” reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “and many scientists in the state are simply watching the situation unfold, since there are no examples of an oil spill of this magnitude on the Gulf Coast.”
On May 18th, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce that has jurisdiction over the affected area, closed a total of 45,728 square miles to fishing. The closed area represents 19 percent of the entire Gulf of Mexico Federal waters. At press time, this area remained closed.
“Acting with an abundance of caution,” said NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, “this expansion is part of NOAA’s effort to assure seafood safety.”
The threat of oil impacting the coastline remains high, NOAA said at the end of May, and government agencies had already begun to confirm reports of oiled pelicans, turtles and porpoises in coastal regions.
As British Petroleum’s broken well continued to spew oil, much of the suspense in terms of fishing waters-and fishing markets-centered on whether the slick would move into the so-called loop currents, thus contaminating fishing waters along the Eastern coast of the United States.
Oysters and the newly spawned larvae of shrimp and crabs faced the greatest risk, because they are largely immobile and more likely to be closer to the surface.
According to the Los Angeles Times, nearly 83% of the seafood consumed in this country is imported, and that has led the National Fisheries Institute to repeatedly assure consumers that they won’t be seeing shortages of seafood.
But oysters could be another matter. Most are harvested domestically, and 70% of all oysters consumed in the U.S. come out of the Gulf, accounting for almost two-thirds of the nation’s $500 million-a-year oyster industry.
On Monday, May 24th, the price of a box of oysters jumped $10, from $34 to $44.
“Some Gulf oysters we were purchasing, like the Bon Secour Oysters, are not available anymore,” said Philippe P. Reynaud, Senior Director of Culinary Operation for Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fla.
At Kenwood Country Club, near Cincinnati, Executive Chef Chris Ropp was continuing to monitor the situation while preparing menus with alternative seafood products.
“There has been an increase in pricing for Gulf seafood, and four of my five seafood purveyors have stopped carrying it,” Ropp reported. “As a result, we’ve eliminated all Gulf products from menus throughout the club.”
To replace those products, Ropp was focusing his attention on the use of seafood from other parts of the country. “With the elimination of those items, my concerns with regard to the safety of my seafood are gone,” he explained. “I keep my membership informed by making it a point to list on the menu where each item comes from-Lake Erie Walleye, Hawaiian Big Eye Tuna, Chesapeake Soft Shell Crabs-so they can see for themselves.”
In New York City, Charles Kehrli, Executive Chef at The Yale Club, said, “At this time we are not experiencing any cost impact. However, this will change, as current supplies of frozen shrimp are depleted.”
To help him stay on top of the situation, Kehrli’s purveyors have been sending him regular updates regarding seafood sourcing, availability and pricing.
“Our shellfish distributor will be shifting to the East coast of Florida, Virginia and the Carolinas, and we do not anticipate any significant price increases or interruption of supply,” Kehrli said. “Grouper and red snapper will be sourced from the west coast of Mexico.”
Domestic shrimp prices will increase, he noted, but he did not expect U-12 shrimp sourced from South America, or P&D shrimp from Thailand to be affected.
“There are a lot of unknowns about how this will all trickle down,” added Ocean Reef’s Reynaud, who said the spill had not yet affected seafood prices in the Florida Keys where an abundance of locally caught fish was available. “In the meantime, members are aware of its effect on our menus. We also talk with our front-line servers during pre-service meetings, so they are able to answer any inquiries.”
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