Galveston Fishing Charter Company
832-917-FISH(3474)
The oil spill continues to be the focus of the fishing news and unfortunately when events like this occur, the rumor mill runs wild.
Monday, I surveyed the Galveston Ship Channel and parts of the Galveston Yacht Basin and observed a sheen of oil around the channel, especially in front of Pier 19 where several of the party boats are docked.
The waterway in front of 3G Bait Camp showed no sign of oil; however, the whole area is closed to boating traffic.
That means that boats docked at the yacht basin are prevented from leaving their slips until the Galveston Ship Channel reopens.
Lower Galveston Bay between the causeway and Pelican Island does not appear to have been badly affected and the Intracoastal Waterway remains open.
Rumors have been flying that fishing has been closed anywhere from all of Galveston Bay to parts in the vicinity of the oil spill.
As of Monday afternoon, there were no posted closings to fishing. The only closure at that time was to boating traffic.
There remain a lot of unanswered questions regarding the immediate and long-term effects of the oil spill. As information and facts are received, I will promptly pass them on.
If the oil that was released from the accident were light crude, the clean-up would have been faster and easier.
In this case, it was a heavy grade of oil called bunker fuel, which is almost like a sludge and drops to the bottom when cooled.
For that reason we may be dealing with the after effects for a much longer period. Shrimpers likely will be the first group of fishermen to be adversely affected, as areas in the vicinity of the spill and along the route taken by the flow likely will not be suitable for dragging nets.
Once information about the effects on marine life is received, that, too, will be passed on.
If you have a fishing trip scheduled with a party boat or fishing guide operating out of Galveston this week, you should check with them on the status of your trip.
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