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From Southern Studies:

Arnesen explains that continuous use of dispersants to sink BP’s continually resurfacing oil, as well as reliance on it in response to other smaller spills, hasn’t helped.

Only a few days ago, they’d come across nothing but sheen from Southwest Pass to Grand Isle. As is often the case, it’s impossible to know if the sheen came from BP’s resurfacing oil or from another leak. Wells and rigs dot the horizon as far as the eye can see. He suspects that sheen and other oil recently seen was sprayed with dispersants.

“We lost so much land in the last two years, you go down there and you can’t even tell where you’re at … In some places the land moved almost a mile in the last year. That’s crazy. But you can’t kill the vegetation and expect it not to erode.”

When asked about the BP claims process, Arnesen shook his head, “The whole claims thing is a joke. They did pay out a lot of claims, but not where it needed to be.

“I’m only 46, I’m not going to retire for another 20 years, minimum … If fishing comes back, and I can make my own money, I’m good with them. I don’t want BP’s check, I’m not a charity case — I didn’t want their check to start with. But they destroyed my industry. What’d they offer me? One check — OK, that fixed last year. What about this year, next year, 10 years? That’s the problem.”

And there are other unknowns. Arnesen’s wife and daughter have suffered health issues attributed to BP’s oil and dispersant use. He’s suffered memory loss and worries about the long-term health effects and what the future holds.

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