The Impact Path of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Fisheries A Case of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Abstract

Oil spills not only affect the Marine ecosystem, but also affect the economic benefits of human beings. Therefore, this paper studies the impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) events on fisheries from the perspectives of demand and supply, which is helpful to understand the harm of oil spills, improve public awareness of environmental protection, and formulate effective prevention and control measures. On the supply side, oil spills have reduced fish numbers, polluted seawater, and reduced biodiversity. To clean up the spill, the government changed the water quality, which may have further killed some Marine life. On the demand side, consumers are concerned about fish pollution, which will have an impact on the health of consumers. Consumer demand is reduced, which in turn leads to a reduction in the income of local fishermen, and the demand of local fishermen is also reduced. Finally, this paper proposes to strengthen the management of the U.S. oil exploration access system, protect marine life, and install more guardrails.