April 1 (UPI) -- Fishing communities in the Gulf of Mexico are facing heavy economic losses ahead of usually lucrative Holy Week because of an oil spill that continues to affect the coastline in at least three states.
Authorities are continuing cleanup operations, but have not determined the origin of the oil.
In Veracruz, Tabasco and Tamaulipas, where local economies depend heavily on fishing and tourism, worker in the sector have reduced or suspended activities due to sea contamination and falling demand.
According to press reports and accounts from the region, fishermen have stopped going out to sea to avoid damaging their boats, nets and engines, while consumers avoid buying seafood products out of fear of contamination, during one of the most important periods of the year for these communities.
According to statements by the president of the Federation of Fishing Societies and Cooperatives of Alvarado, Jaime Santiago Rojas, the contingency affects about 50,000 licensed fishermen and a similar number of unlicensed workers in the state of Veracruz alone.
