Louisiana
Looking back: The impact of the BP oil spill on Louisiana’s commercial menhaden fishing industry
The BP oil spill—triggered by the Deepwater Horizon explosion 15 years ago last month—remains the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. The Deepwater Horizon explosion killed 11 people and released nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf, devastating ecosystems and contaminating key fishing grounds.
Among the species affected were menhaden—small, oily fish essential to the Gulf’s ecosystem and Louisiana’s economy. As filter feeders and prey for larger predators, they play a critical ecological role. Louisiana’s menhaden fishery, one of the largest in the nation, was hit especially hard. Just two companies harvest menhaden from Louisiana’s waters: Westbank Fishing in Empire and Ocean Harvesters in Abbeville. Together, they employ more than 2,000 workers and contribute over $25 million annually to the state and local economy. But when oil from the spill spread across the northern Gulf, it forced widespread closures of federal and state waters—including over half of Louisiana’s inshore fishing grounds. The industry was suddenly paralyzed, facing a collapse in access, markets, and operating stability.
For Westbank Fishing, the disaster struck just five years after Hurricane Katrina had devastated its home base in Plaquemines Parish. The company had only recently rebuilt its fleet, processing facility and workforce. “We’d already learned how to survive after Katrina,” said Shane Treadaway, Vice President of Operations. “So, when the oil spill happened, we knew how to dig in, stay focused, and do whatever it took to come back strong.” That hard-earned resilience became critical as the company confronted yet another crisis.
The closure of nearshore waters turned daily operations upside down. With more than 55% of Louisiana’s state waters off-limits, Westbank’s vessels were forced to travel up to 200 miles west—just to find open seas. “We went from steaming 45 minutes to our grounds to running 17 hours west just to fish,” said Treadaway. “The oil spill didn’t just close the water—it upended everything overnight.”
The longer trips took a toll. “We had to burn more fuel, work longer hours, and face rougher seas,” Treadaway said. Crews had less time for rest and maintenance, and the boats were pushed to their limits. “More miles meant more wear and more breakdowns. We had to set up mobile support just to keep the fleet running that far from home.”
Beyond logistics, the industry faced a second blow: hesitation from buyers. Though menhaden isn’t eaten directly, seafood safety concerns slowed international demand. The spill’s environmental effects were also severe. Menhaden depend on clean, oxygen-rich water to survive, and the oil and dispersants harmed plankton, larvae, and juvenile fish.
“There was real fear among the crews,” said Treadaway. “I wanted to build a career and retire in this industry. What if they padlocked the gate and said, ‘Sorry, it’s over’? A lot of people had put blood, sweat, and tears into this company. That uncertainty was the hardest part.”
Shane Treadaway
For communities across southern Plaquemines Parish, the impact ran deep. Westbank Fishing was one of the largest employers in the region, supporting countless rural families. “It wasn’t just about fish. It was about families, about paying bills, about whether a way of life was going to disappear,” Treadaway said. “You walked into any store in Empire, and that’s all people were talking about. Was our way of life going to disappear?”
Despite these challenges, Westbank Fishing took steps to support its workforce. “No one was let go. Everyone got their 40 hours,” said Treadaway. “We made a commitment to our people—we weren’t going to leave anyone behind.” This dedication to their employees helped the company weather the storm and emerge from the crisis.
In the years since, Louisiana’s menhaden industry has shown remarkable resilience. The BP oil spill was a turning point, exposing the fragile link between ecological health and economic survival. Fifteen years later, the industry continues to harvest menhaden, sustain jobs, and support the state and local economy. It has also earned Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, recognizing its careful management and commitment to ecological balance.
Yet these gains exist against a backdrop of growing vulnerability: coastal erosion, climate change, and regulatory shifts continue to threaten the fishery’s stability. And the memory of the BP oil spill still looms large, a reminder that environmental disasters can reshape lives and livelihoods in an instant.
“We just kept our heads down and went to work, day by day,” said Treadaway. “Fifteen years later, I can say: we fared pretty well. But we’ll never forget what it took to get here.” The scars remain—but so does the strength of the communities that endured them, determined to protect their future on the water.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – South Louisiana’s coast has long served as a natural buffer between communities and rising water.
But since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost nearly 2,000 square miles of coastal land.
Dr. Torbjorn Tornqvist, a professor at Tulane University, said Louisiana is one of the most vulnerable coastal areas in the world because of climate change, sea level rise and subsidence.
“Louisiana is arguably one of the most vulnerable… perhaps the most vulnerable coastal zones in the world when it comes to climate change and sea level rise… and there are several reasons for that but one important reason is that we have high subsidence rates, and that means sea level rise here is a lot faster than the average around the world,” Tornqvist said.
Tornqvist is the lead author of a recently published study examining the long-term impacts of sea level rise across south Louisiana.
He said the issue is no longer limited to communities closest to the Gulf Coast.
“People are leaving the coast of Louisiana, but it’s going to accelerate over the course of the century. And those people are going to have to go somewhere, and it’s likely that a significant number are going to look at a place like Baton Rouge to move to,” Tornqvist said.
Since Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana has invested billions of dollars in large-scale restoration projects designed to reduce flood risk and strengthen the coast.
Some researchers believe those projects are important but not permanent fixes.
“We have…right now we have a pretty high-quality flood protection system that’s obviously way better than it was during Katrina and we should certainly keep investing in upkeep, but we also have to recognize that’s only going to take us so far,” Tornqvist said.
State officials say those investments remain critical as Louisiana adapts to future flood risks.
Micheal Hare, executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, said the state’s coastal plan is designed to balance restoration work with protection projects, including levees.
“Our 2023 master plan certainly incorporates the best science available to us to then come up with a balanced approach between how do we effectively spend money on restoration as well as money on protection projects like levees,” Hare said.
Hare said those projects will continue to evolve as future risks change. CPRA and the Army Corps of Engineers are re-evaluating portions of the West Bank and Vicinity levee system in New Orleans to meet projected future flood risks within the next half-decade.
“Morganza to the Gulf is a great example, location communities came together, they started funding it…so that protection is critical…It will constantly be maintained and constantly elevated to meet the new levels of threats and risks that are out there,” Hare said.
Coastal officials and researchers agree that what happens along Louisiana’s coast will continue to affect communities far beyond the shoreline for generations.
“And so maybe you don’t live behind the levee, but I promise you want those coastal communities to stay there and to keep working, and to stay productive and engaged…so that we don’t have to have these flood fights further north or lose parts of our economy,” Hare said.
Tornqvist said the decisions made now could shape the future of Louisiana communities.
“What’s really important to recognize is that the next few decades are basically going to decide the long-term future of cities like Baton Rouge,” Tornqvist said.
Louisiana has always lived with water. As the coast changes and sea levels rise, the challenge is how communities across south Louisiana continue adapting for generations to come.
From the Gulf Coast to Baton Rouge, the future of Louisiana’s coastline is a conversation that impacts the entire state.
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Louisiana ranks among the top 10 most affordable states to retire, according to a new study from Retirement Living, a national journal of retirement research.
Researchers analyzed each state’s housing costs, living expenses and tax friendliness to compile the ranking. Louisiana, they say, is the eighth most affordable state for retirees.
In Louisiana, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $932, the median home sale price is $255,000, monthly grocery spend per capita is $272, the average price per gallon of regular gas is $4, the average Medicare Advantage monthly premium is $13.35 and the average effective property tax rate is 0.55%.
West Virginia is the most affordable state to retire, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana and Kansas. Researchers describe the South as “the sweet spot for an affordable retirement.”
The most expensive state to retire, meanwhile, is California, followed by Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Utah, New York and Minnesota.
Read Retirement Living’s full report here.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – With hurricane season approaching, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is bringing the community together to prepare before a storm forms.
“We can’t stop disasters from happening. We can’t stop hurricanes from happening. But what we can do is equip our communities with the resources that they need to prepare for these storms ahead of time,” said Jayda Morris, CPRA outreach manager.
The agency hosted an event featuring interactive storm simulations and a full model of the Mississippi River.
“If you do it now, like on a sunny day like today, you’re ready to go for the rest of the season,” Jay Grymes said.
El Niño may reduce storms, but Louisiana still at risk
State Climatologist Jay Grymes said an El Niño pattern may reduce the number of storms in the Atlantic but warned against a false sense of security.
“In those 25 years, Louisiana, some part of the state has been impacted by 29 storms. That’s one a year, regardless of El Niño. So that should tell you something,” Grymes said.
He said the bigger concern is storms that can form in the Gulf with little warning.
“If we’re going to get a storm, it very possibly could be one that bubbles up in the Gulf and doesn’t give us five or seven days to track it coming our way. It gives us 40 hours to get ready for a landfall. So it’s imperative that you go ahead and do it now,” Grymes said.
Preparation goes beyond stocking water
Preparing now includes walking through yards, checking trees, and knowing whether everyone in the family can survive two weeks without power.
PhD students with the LSU College of the Coast and Environment gave the community a virtual reality experience that puts users inside a storm.
“If they wear the goggles or play with the Apple Vision Pro, they can understand how high will the flood be, and they can know how dangerous is the hurricane scenario,” said Yixuan Wang.
The VR simulation uses real historical data to show users what compound flooding looks like in New Orleans and surrounding areas. The goal is to make the science real for people who can’t picture what a flood map means.
“It’s just to let you understand the environment. We will add the audios, the different sound of the wind and the storm. And you can see how tense of the rainfall around you,” Wang said.
Organizers said the event is about making sure that when a storm threatens the area, families already know their plan.
Information from the event is available on CPRA’s website. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
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