Editing Oil spill (section)

=== Reduction in fishing ===
After the Deepwater Horizon crisis,<ref name="Encyclopedia Brittania"/> the Gulf of Mexico suffered an estimated 1.9-billion-dollar loss in revenue from fishing. This is because fishing closures were imposed due to fears of the safety of seafood,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gracia, Murawski and Vázquez-Bader|title=Impacts of Deep Oil Spills on Fish and Fisheries |journal=Deep Oil Spills |date=2019 |pages=414–430}}</ref> there was also a decline in demand, as seafood restaurants and markets suffered such severe losses that many were forced to shut.<ref name=ITOPF/>  Usually, the Gulf sees an average of 106,703 fishing trips per day,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nelson, Grubesic and Rose |title=A Geospatial Evaluation of Oil Spill Impact Potential on Coastal Tourism in the Gulf of Mexico |journal=Deep Oil Spills |date=2017|volume=68 |page=26 |doi=10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2017.10.001 |bibcode=2018CEUS...68...26N }}</ref> equating to 1 million metric tonnes of annual fishery landings.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gracia, Murawski and Vázquez-Bader |title=Impacts of Deep Oil Spills on Fish and Fisheries |journal=Deep Oil Spills |date=2019 |pages=414–430}}</ref>  Therefore, the necessary fishing ban following the disaster was highly damaging. Similarly, following the sinking of the Prestige oil tanker near Galicia, Spain, in November 2002, 77,000 tonnes of crude oil were spilled into the ocean. This disaster has had severe economic consequences, alongside the environmental damage. Large zones were cordoned in which fishing was banned, with these bans lasting for more than eight months. This affected several groups, including fishermen, ship owners, and the companies who bought and sold the fish. Several compensatory actions were introduced, including tax benefits and aid. This resulted in expenses of approximately 113 million euros in an attempt to compensate for the halt in fishing activity.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Surís-Regueiro, Garza-Gil and Varela-Lafuente|title=The Prestige oil spill and its economic impact on the Galician fishing sector |journal=Disasters |date=2007 |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=201–215|doi=10.1111/j.1467-7717.2007.01004.x |pmid=17461923 |bibcode=2007Disas..31..201S |hdl=11093/3459 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>  The examples of the Deepwater Horizon and the Prestige clearly illustrate the severe economic consequences when oil spills prevent commercial fishing.

Water pollution due to oil spills can be severe, often resulting in the death or injury of many sea creatures, including birds, sea mammals, fish, algae, and coral.<ref name="Studies of fishermen’s economic los">{{cite journal |last1=Alvernia, Utomo and Herdiansyah|title=Studies of fishermen's economic loss due to oil spills |journal=IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science |date=2021|volume=802 |issue=1 |page=012002 |doi=10.1088/1755-1315/802/1/012002 |bibcode=2021E&ES..802a2002A |doi-access=free }}</ref>  The impact on fish caught in the spill has both immediate and longer-term impacts. Immediately, the fish are tainted with oil, and they cannot be used commercially due to safety reasons. Then, the oil can spread and sink below the water's surface. If fish swallow the oil, they are also inconsumable due to the health risk posed to humans.<ref name="Studies of fishermen’s economic los"/>  Therefore, massive economic damage is caused to the fishing industry following an oil spill, as the stock is vastly reduced. Furthermore, the oil can cause damage to the equipment and boats of fishermen. Clean-up operations can also interrupt usual fishing routes, and sometimes fishing bans are imposed.<ref name="Economic Effects"/>  This further illustrates the damaging economic effects of oil spills on commercial fishing, which is particularly detrimental for regions whose economy relies heavily on fishing.