Spill to start affecting seafood costs

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) - It's far too early to know whether or not oil from the Gulf of Mexico could reach our coast, but that's something officials are watching very closely. The spill could affect the area in other ways.

A gorgeous day in Norfolk's Ocean View seems far removed from the nightmare on the water in the Gulf Coast. High winds, heavy seas and rain are making it tough on crews trying to contain the oil and stop the leak.

"For everyone who has been affected by this spill know this, your government will do everything it takes, for as long as it takes, to stop this crisis," said President Barack Obama.

The situation could become far more grave if the oil gets into the gulf stream. The oil could potentially drift around Florida and up the coast.

"There would be concerns all the way up the East Coast if that happened," said Norfolk's Alicia Bauers. "I would hope that it would be stopped before it got up this far."

Sunday, officials announced a ban on fishing for at least 10 days from Louisiana to parts of the Florida panhandle.

"It's going to be a huge economic impact on the Gulf," said Chesapeake's Ron Lucas. "It's more than what a lot of people are even thinking about right now."

Local seafood markets like Family Seafood in South Norfolk could soon be feeling the effects.

"We've already been told that shrimp and oyster prices will be going up," Lucas added. "We are going to be relying more on local industry for the oysters."

It's dire a situation for fishermen in the Gulf.

"Some of these cats, this is all they know," said shrimper Leroy Meaux. "They don't know how to do nothing, but catching shrimp."

"It's going to be very devastating for them," Lucas said.

Local crabbers are getting calls from people in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas asking how much it would cost to ship blue crabs from Hampton Roads.