U.S. House members from three Gulf Coast states are backing their governors’ request for a fisheries disaster declaration, saying freshwater flooding into saltwater ecosystems has killed oysters, hurt fish catches and damaged livelihoods.
The letter released Wednesday asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for the disaster declaration being sought by the governors of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. A news release said seafood and recreational fisheries have been disrupted by the deluge of freshwater from the Bonnet Carré Spillway west of New Orleans, diluting normally brackish and salty waters.
The letter sent Monday was signed by four U.S. representatives from Louisiana and one each from Mississippi and Alabama.
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