One of my life-long food crushes has been seafood.
From the first fresh lobster I tasted on that vacation to Boston with my parents when I was ten years old… to the shrimp I took out of the freezer last week to make up a batch of shrimp and grits… to the sushi I crave… seafood is a great love of mine.
And I’d venture a guess I’m not the only one. Judging simply from the number of seafood restaurants here in Milwaukee, I’d say I’m in good company. Unfortunately, the Gulf region – one of our richest sources for seafood – has been compromised. And I’m pretty disgusted. Interestingly, my frustration isn’t only pointed at BP.
Don’t get me wrong. The BP oil spill was (and is) a disaster. The ongoing consequences of the BP oil spill disaster have jeopardized the natural systems that drive the Gulf’s ecology and economy.
But, the good news about the oil spill is that it’s brought much needed attention to the Gulf region and New Orleans – a destination whose port contributes at least three trillion dollars annually to the U.S. economy. Thanks to the Gulf region, Milwaukeeans enjoy imported products like products like coffee, grain, seafood, and oil and gas – for a fraction of the price we’d pay without this vital gateway to the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Yet, the Gulf is in jeopardy – and it’s due to factors that started long before the BP oil spill.
Let’s talk about the increasing loss of marine life in the Gulf. Not only are fish and wildlife dying from the effects of the oil spill, but they’re also increasingly predisposed to mortality as a result of growing “dead zones” in the Gulf – areas where oxygen levels are too low to support life.
According to www.heathygulf.org, “when the Mississippi River reaches the Gulf of Mexico, it is loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. The polluted water acts as a fertilizer of algae, resulting in large algal blooms. When the algae die, they sink to the saltier water below and decompose, depleting already low oxygen in the deeper water. Because the salty bottom waters do not mix well with the lighter, fresh water from the Mississippi River, oxygen in the water is not replenished, resulting in a large dead zone in bottom waters.
There has been an almost threefold increase in nitrogen entering the Gulf from the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the last 30 years. Nitrogen remains the prime factor in causing the Dead Zone. The largest source of nitrogen is commercial fertilizer used throughout the Mississippi River basin – one of the agricultural centers of the United States. Other sources include animal waste, sewage treatment plants, and nitrogen in the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion.”
And yes – these consequences have everything to do with us. Our farming practices contribute to the program. All that government corn we’re growing (to produce corn sweeteners, additives, and fuel) needs fertilizer. And that fertilizer is made up of toxic chemicals that get leached into our precious soil. And all the runoff from that heavy fertilization goes down the Mississippi River and empties into the Gulf.
In addition to the region’s famous shellfish, some of the other Gulf species most at risk include Red Snapper, Grouper, Greater Amberjack Gray, Triggerfish, Sharks, Menhaden, and Sea Turtles.
Fortunately, there’s a bright side to all this. Organizations like the Gulf Restoration Network (healthygulf.org) have been working tirelessly to unite and empower people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico region. They have taken a leadership role in holding BP and the federal government responsible for the destruction of so much environmentally and economically important habitat.
Even better, you can help! Consider attending the Gumbo Git Down for the Gulf – this weekend at Serb Hall. The event was pulled together by a group of Milwaukeeans dedicated to the effort of making sure the Gulf region not only recovers from the BP oil spill but thrives for future generations.
Gumbo Git Down
Sunday, October 10, 2010
3:00pm – 7:00pm
American Serb Hall
5101 Oklahoma Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53219
Ticket prices: $10 in advance/$15 at the door
Children age 10 & under get in FREE
Advance tickets available through 10/8/10.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit: http://www.eatatburp.com/p/gumbo-git-down.html
