“Down Here We Rely on Fishing and Oil”: Work Identity and Fishers’ Responses to the BP Oil Spill Disaster

Abstract

Survey research on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has documented both short-term and longer term effects of the spill and chemical agents on physical, mental, and environmental health, but less is known about how individuals living in and around affected areas make sense of the oil spill disaster. Prior research on disaster describes how people make sense of these events through social, political, and relational processes, yet have not explored the mediating role that work identity might play in the sense-making process. Using in-depth interviews with Louisiana shrimp fishers, I show how interpretations of the British Petroleum (BP) oil spill and its aftermath are fundamentally grounded in work identity. Findings indicate fishers recognize the role BP played in their ongoing health and environmental problems related to the spill. At the same time, they generally view BP as favorable and hold optimistic views regarding their abilities to continue to fish in grounds where they find evidence of the oil spill. Work identity filters how these fishers make sense of their experience and limits the range of responses available to them. This project, thus, centers work within research on the subjective experience of disaster, and further contributes to understanding the socially constructed nature of disaster perceptions and responses.

Human Health and Socioeconomic Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

“…Short-term fishing moratoria were enacted immediately following DWH (see Seafood Safety section), and even when the moratoria were lifted, uncertainty about the contamination of fishing grounds continued for fishers and seafood workers (Simon-Friedt et al, 2016). In addition to preexisting economic pressures (Harrison, 2020), the ongoing disruption and stress from the DWH spill contributed to the unique vulnerability of these workers (Gill et al, 2012;Lee and Blanchard, 2012;Cope et al, 2013Cope et al, , 2016Parks et al, 2018). While greater social support is typically helpful in bolstering mental health, it may operate differently among renewable resource communities (Freudenburg, 1992;Gill et al, 2014).…”

Ecological Impact Analysis of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil: An Overview

“…The spills would trigger severe physical, chemical, and biological hazards to the local marine environment and negative impacts to society and humans (Saadoun, 2015). For example, the "Deepwater Horizon" oil spill accident (DWH) in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the most serious oil spills in the history, released over 210 million gallons of crude oil into the marine environment and caused 11 deaths and 17 people injured (Xue et al, 2015;Harrison, 2020). The Sanchi oil tanker collision caused fire, explosion, and sinking with 32 deaths and a spill or burn of over 100,000 tons of petroleum products (Wan and Chen, 2018).…”