On April 20, 2010, an oil rig exploded killing eleven platform workers and injuring seventeen others. Much to the dismay of the general public, over 185 million gallons of oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico putting millions of animals in peril and causing millions of dollars in damages caused by a loss of tourism.
However, for many low income families on the gulf coast the spill hasn't been so bad. Initially the oil covered fish laying on the surface of the water was seen as a disaster but you couldn't tell that to Pedro Panocha. Panocha arrived to Mississippi from his native Peru in 1945 and considers himself a full native of the gulf coast having lived and worked as a fisherman in all gulf states over the past 60 years.
"When I saw all them little fishies floating in that there water, I didn't see it as no disaster. I reckon I kind of seen it as an opportunity." -Pedro Panocha
What Panocha proceeded to do was monumental. Panocha and a few friends began collecting all the fish affected by the oil spill and frying them in their own oil.
"For me, oil is oil and oil is damn expensive nowadays. In my day, I could get a jug of oil for 25 cents but now it's damn near ten dollars. Here in the gulf I seen people barbecue with gasoline so I knew it wasn't nothing to fry them fish instead of letting them go to waste. People too damn picky nowadays." -Pedro Panocha
Panocha actually set up a fish fry stand and he states that business has been so good that he is considering opening up a full fledged restaurant. Residents all over the gulf coast have begun to imitate Panocha.
"All them rich people was talking all this mess about the oil spill cause they lost they damn business but for me it was all good because at least I could feed my kids. As soon as the spill happened and the fish started washing up with the grease on them, everybody in the south knew you could just fry it up and be good to go. Rich people got mad cause ain't nobody buying oil no more cause the fish already come with the oil." Lashonda Harris
So far there have been no reports of death or severe ailment caused by the consumption of these oil covered fish. However, some reports have indicated an escalation in diarrheal illness accompanied by light headaches. Interestingly, some residents have noted viagra-like symptoms from eating the fish and studies are being conducted to determine a possible aphrodisiac. The true effects of eating these fish, if any, is yet to be seen. The Department of Health has not commented regarding this situation.
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