Many local fishermen, shrimpers, and oyster farmers use Shell Beach, LA—30 miles southeast of New Orleans—as a base of operations due to its proximity to the rich alluvial plains, marshes, and bayous which are the lifeblood of the region. One recent addition to the Shell Beach mix is Salty Dog Charters, LLC, a commercial charter fishing outfit founded, owned, and operated by captain Markham Dickson. A native of Bossier Parish, Dickson, 29, has been in and around water since he was just a stripling himself. “Growing up on a farm," he recalls, "fishing’s just all I did with my time.” About nine months ago, Dickson incorporated Salty Dog, turning his life's passion into a fledgling career. But, like all fisherman in the area, the BP oil disaster is now casting a cloud of uncertainty upon his commercial operation. We recently sat down with Dickson to discuss the spill’s impact on his new business, the media’s coverage of the disaster, and the vital importance of the Gulf to the people of Louisiana.

Edible New Orleans: How has the spill directly affected you and your business?

Markham Dickson: In the first month after the spill, fishing was closed up the east side of the Mississippi delta all the way to Lake Borgne. All charters in the area, mine included, were shut down and our marinas were converted into hubs for oil cleanup and recovery. Commercial fishermen were conscripted into preparing the marsh for the oncoming oil. Charter fishermen, however, were not. This left me in the unenviable position of suddenly waking up every morning unemployed. Fortunately, things have improved recently as Bay Eloi, Black Bay, and Biloxi Marsh have reopened to charter fishermen. This has allowed me to fish out of Shell Beach again. Unfortunately, the national perception of Gulf fish has been greatly harmed, and myself and my fellow charter fishermen just don't have the clients we should have for this time of the year calling us and booking trips.

ENO: What do you see the long-term affects of the spill being--a year from now? Three? Twenty?

MD: There are two main issues: the fish and those who eat the fish. I grew up here, I am Louisiana born and raised, and it is heartbreaking to think about the effects the spill will have on the local marine life, both along the coast and in the Gulf itself. Until the spill, I'd never considered living outside of Louisiana. Recently, the thought has crossed my mind: am I going to have to leave to continue chartering? I love nothing more than to catch fish and feed them to people. So if this spill affects the fish so that they are not fit to eat I will have no choice but to leave. I do, however, remain an optimist. My belief is that the fish stocks will rebound from this. That is not to say I don’t worry. I worry mainly about the oil's overall effect on the food chain. My major concern is that it may contaminate the fish through the hydrocarbons from oil "eaten" by bacteria working their way up the food chain.

Now if the fish dodge this bullet as well and are deemed safe to eat down the line, there is still one more issue. Will the nation and other outside tourism ever believe that Gulf seafood is clean to eat, even if science proves it is? I am afraid the stigma of this oil will be upon the fish even if the oil itself is not.

ENO: How do you feel about the media’s coverage of the oil spill thus far?

MD: Overall, I think the coverage is good. The only problem is there is so much speculation at this point that it is hard for a charter fisherman to get much from the media reports. What I really want to see is some scientific study of the oil's effect on our marine life. And I guess we will just have to wait for that. Right now, marine biologists are enlisting the help of local fishermen to get a base line sample of marine life now to see the effects over the next several months and coming years. We just have to wait and see how bad it is. Meanwhile, all the media can do is cover why it happened, what's being done to plug the leak, and how we can help those affected.

ENO: What should Edible readers keep in mind as this catastrophe develops?

MD: I think we all need to remember how much this gulf has given the state of Louisiana and its people over the years and how much we owe it to her to fix what we have done, and to do our best to help the inhabitants of the waters we love, and to not give up on Louisiana seafood. Find credible sources and keep up to date on what's safe to eat and harvest. If it's safe, and fish stocks are stable, lets keep on fishin', eatin', and passin' a good time.

Though conditions for fishing are changing daily, Captain Dickson's business is still in operation and he is still catching beautiful, clean fish. A fishing day trip costs $650 for a party of four and includes use of the vessel, fuel, gear, bait, and fish cleaning. To schedule a trip, visit www.saltydogchartersllc.com or contact captain Dickson at cmdthree@yahoo.com or 504.581.8216

-- Interviewed by Jonathan Katz

-- Photo by Andy Cook