It was in 1993 the report of herring disappearance from Prince William Sound has been published. There were little kings of sea in these parts as the oil ran so thick for long even after recovery work done. The Exxon Valdez spilled its oil in March 1989 and the world saw images of blackened seabirds, otters and seals, of bloated whale carcasses and once-pristine beaches covered with crude.
At that time it was not understood that it has affected the fish’s ecosystem very badly nor did anyone know that the herring’s demise would lead to years of hardship for the people here. Maxwell, a 47 years old fisherman, said that the herring disappeared four years after the spill. But Exxon claimed that the region recovered quickly. Government scientists, however, said oil remained and was still working its way through the ecosystem in a process that would last decades.
In December 2007 scientists published report that the collapse of herring was due to Exxon oil spill. It was said that the oil killed the adults, but more significantly, damaged eggs and larvae. Present of oil in the water depressed immune systems of fish which made them susceptible to disease. Richard Thorne, a fisheries scientist and co-author of the report, said that the herring never recovered and, from indications, may never return. It also affects countless species, including salmon, depended on the little fish as a food source.
The fate of the Prince William Sound herring and the fishermen is no different as their story runs parallel. Fishermen still bearing the brunt of oil spill and the fishing fleet has shrunk by half, three of town’s five canneries have gone bankrupt, people have left the town in search of livelihood.
