Crabs provide evidence oil tainting Gulf food web

Crabs provide evidence oil tainting Gulf food web

Weeks ago, before engineers pumped in mud and cement to plug the gusher, scientists began finding specks of oil in crab larvae plucked from waters across the Gulf coast.

The entire AP article: Crabs provide evidence oil tainting Gulf food web

Folks this is nothing that any thinking person did not expect. It flies in the face of the reports and testing that insist the Gulf seafood is safe to eat. Is gulf seafood safe at curent levels of contamination? Is that what they're peddling? Much like the mercury in tuna is safe if you don't eat too much or too often? They are finding oil specks in these larvae. What is there that is not so easily found?

I'm sure we'll see and hear much more regarding this in the days, weeks and perhaps years to come. Sorry to be bringing such negative news.

reply to post by Hemisphere


I came across a report by Bob Thomas, biologist with Loyola University, NO, which fits with this thread.
He says that "many" crab larvae sampled contained oil, and that dolphins are in danger of fatal doses.
In a report published today on floridaoilspilllaw.com, he states. "It would appear that the oil has reached a position where it can start moving up the food chain..." Source:

floridaoilspilllaw.com/AP-oil-in-many-of-sampled-crab-larvae-

Something like 3,675,000 barrels of oil seem to have gone missing. It is bound to show up somewhere.

reply to post by SimplyGord


Thanks for that contribution SimplyGord. Here is a link to the source article for yours: Oiled crabs stoke fears spill is tainting food web

It goes a bit further than my original AP article. Here's an excerpt:

While fish can metabolize dispersant and oil, crabs may accumulate the hydrocarbons, which could harm their ability to reproduce, Perry said in an earlier interview with Science magazine.

She told the magazine there are two encouraging signs for the wild larvae — they are alive when collected and may lose oil droplets when they molt.

It's wait and see but historically these things don't end very well. And as you mention where has that massive amount of oil gone? That most of it is no longer on the surface and easily tracked does not mean it's gone. That we might conclude was part of the deal with the dispersants. Out of sight, out of mind.

I had seen a report on CNN over the weekend. The point of it was on some barrier islands the oil was being found inches down in the beach sand with no indication there was a problem on the surface. These barrier islands are mostly uninhabited and who would know how bad things were at least in the short term. You would see nothing flying over or passing by in a boat. If problems showed up down the road, BP and any clean up response could be long gone. Perception is everything.

Thanks again!