LAFITTE, La. -- They've become a symbol of the cleanup effort: local boats and local people setting out into the Gulf to scoop up the creeping crude.
But in at least one community, leaders say BP is about to dramatically reduce the fleet.
The amount of boats contracted by BP to skim oil, lay new boom, and replace the old ones soaked with crude will be seriously slashed, according to area leaders. The current group of about 300 vessels will be cut down to 40.
"Which is concerning for us because there has been no indication from BP they would scale back to this level," said Chris Roberts, Jefferson Parish councilman.
Roberts said he got wind of the reduction through contractors hired by BP. A spokesperson for the oil giant could neither confirm nor deny the news, but did admit to Eyewitness News there is a current scale back all along the coast.
Pointing to the well that's been capped now for over a week, BP says there's isn't enough oil in the water to warrant the same level of boats.
The downsizing could impact as many 1,000 workers, according to Roberts, and so fisherman forced into unemployment by the oil could be unemployed once more. While 76 percent of the Gulf's waters are now open to fishing, concerns remain over just what they'll find.
"Can they catch the amount and quantities that are neccessariy in order to be profitable?" wonders Roberts.
At nearby C & M's Marina in lower Laffitte, lines of boats remain docked -- many have been since Tropical Storm Bonnie conjured up worries along the coast.
Mayor Tim Kerner said he was told by BP that while only 40 boats will be working along lower parts of the parish, the crews assigned to the remaining 270 will still paid. Eyewitness News tried confirming that with BP, but, again, they couldn't give us an answer.
Uncertainty now runs deep for those who plan on cherishing the treasures of the Gulf for years to come. They now wonder just how more years will have to pass before that once simple reality returns.
