Deprived of Livelihood, Gulf Shrimpers Work for BP Instead $3,000 a day, $300 for crew

[RamboLiberal]

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"When the Deepwater Horizon accident happened, I said they're going to close the west side river, so let's try to get with BP," says Rodriguez, 51, who is based in Mobile, Alabama. In May, Rodriguez signed up for BP's "Vessels of Opportunity" program, which hires local boat owners to help with the cleanup.

Since then, Lady Joanna's captain and crew have taken her out to sea six times, where they survey the Gulf for oil pockets and damaged wildlife, and report their findings to BP.

The payoff is worthwhile. The British oil giant pays Rodriguez $3,000 a day for use of the trawler, $300 a day per crew hand, and also covers the cost of fuel. By comparison, Lady Joanna typically nets a daily catch worth $5,000-$6,000 during the top of the shrimping season, but Rodriguez ends up spending more than half of that on fuel, crew, maintenance and groceries.

"Three-thousand is good for us. We're real satisfied with that," he says.

One of BP's first responses to the spill was to launch Vessels of Opportunity. More than 2,930 vessels have joined the program so far, and thousands of crew members have been trained in safety and boom towing, according to the Deepwater Horizon website. BP spokespeople did not respond to requests for more detail.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/deprived-livelihood-gulf-shrimpers-work-bp/story?id=10942360

ABC propaganda story?

[theoldman]

1. Probably true.

Someone is paying all of the boats that are skimming off the oil. Don't forget that shrimpers only earn big money during the season. They may earn more money working for BP and will still bitch when the leak is plugged.

[ret5hd]

3. Yeah, those shrimpers ain't nothin' but a bunch a' free-loaders...

always bitchin' 'bout sumthin'.

:sarcasm:

[katsy]

2. It doesn't matter.

The Gulf is damaged for the foreseeable future.

Does this guy think bp will employ him forever? His short-term happiness/thinking is beside the point.


A counterpoint is also made in the article:


"Yet not everyone has benefited from BP's outreach to boat owners.

David Luke, owner of St. Michael's Fuel & Ice in Biloxi, Mississippi, says most of the boats in his dock have been contracted to work with BP, but none have been scheduled for assignments yet, and none have been reimbursed for filling up their tanks. Luke estimates that he has extended about $50,000 in credit for fuelling so far.

"I can't keep putting out fuel like that, not knowing if I'm going to get paid," says Luke."

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/deprived-livelihood-gulf-shrimpers-work-bp/story?id=10942360&page=2

[Fumesucker]

4. Contracts are made to be broken

When you are dealing with scum like BP..

[katsy]

5. +1 n/t

[LynneSin]

6. Also covers the cost of fuel?

Couldn't the boats just stick a siphon in the gulf and fill up from there?