Oil spill deals economic blow to fishermen in Gulf of Mexico

Every year, fish markets in the seaside Mexican city of Veracruz flood with a crush of customers in the lead up to Holy Week. This year, they were virtually empty.

That’s because a huge oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico has spread more than 373 miles across the ocean and seeped into seven nature reserves.

Mexicans who have worked in Veracruz’s booming fishing industry for years say they’ve been dealt a blow at one of the busiest times of the year.

Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate on Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers. Fishing has declined off the coasts of the seaside states of Veracruz, Tabasco and Tamaulipas since the spill.

“This is our livelihood,” said a worried Miguel Lopez Rojas, owner of one of the fish stalls in the popular market.

Authorities in the country said that the spill originated from a vessel anchored off the coast of the port city of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz state and two “natural seepages.”