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Here’s what surprised me the most about my trip to the Gulf this week. I had no idea there was a whole community of hundreds of Croatian-American families whose heritage and tradition are wrapped up in oyster farming in the Bayou.
Since the 1800s, fathers have passed down to their sons the skills to make a good living on the oyster beds. It’s a year-round process of seeding, cultivating and harvesting oysters. They’re invested heavily in it. It is all they know.
At the coffee shop every morning, the older generation gathers to get ready for the day, shooting the breeze in their native Croatian tongue. Normally, they would head out early on their boats, spending 12 hours or more on the water.
But not now.
Their oyster beds are off limits. There’s just too much oil in the water.
And they’re worried a long tradition may end with this generation.
“BP ruined it for me,” 32-year-old Mathew Lepetich told me the other day as we sat on his boat.
I could see the stress in his face. He’s worried about his future.
Kate Snow's report airs Dateline NBC Friday, 9 p.m./8C as part of the NBC Special report "Disaster in the Gulf." Watch it here. Follow Kate on Twitter and Facebook here.
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www.protectourcoastline.org This Louisiana based non-profit is working directly with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation and the Louisiana Seafood Board to provide direct relief to the fisherman and shrimpers that have been devastated by this disaster in the Gulf.
It was so disturbing and upsetting to see the pelican completely covered with oil and the body of another bird buried alive in oil with just its head barely above the mess. These images were shown throughout Datelines coverage of disaster in the gulf. Did they attempt to get any wildlife rescue crews to rescue these poor birds or did they just let them suffer and die in vain? Please don't just film wildlife covered in oil without helping them. Never heard dateline mention that they contacted anyone to rescue and help these disaster victims.
It was so disturbing and upsetting to see the pelican completely covered with oil and the body of another bird buried alive in oil with just its head barely above the mess. These images were shown throughout Datelines coverage of disaster in the gulf. Did they attempt to get any wildlife rescue crews to rescue these poor birds or did they just let them suffer and die in vain? Please don't just film wildlife covered in oil without helping them. Never heard dateline mention that they contacted anyone to rescue and help these disaster victims.
It was so disturbing and upsetting to see the pelican completely covered with oil and the body of another bird buried alive in oil with just its head barely above the mess. These images were shown throughout Datelines coverage of disaster in the gulf. Did they attempt to get any wildlife rescue crews to rescue these poor birds or did they just let them suffer and die in vain? Please don't just film wildlife covered in oil without helping them. Never heard dateline mention that they contacted anyone to rescue and help these disaster victims.
The blowout of April 20, 2010 aboard the Deepwater Horizon was clearly preventable. The fact that the BP oil spill has been allowed to reach coastal areas is inexcusable.
For a clear understanding of the issues involved, visit:
http://renergie.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/bp-is-not-the-only-responsible-party/
and
http://donovanlawgroup.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/the-oil-pollution-act-provides-for-the-federalization-of-the-bp-oil-spill/