BP oil leak runs fishermen aground

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 has resulted in the closure of a vast expanse of ocean to commercial and recreational fishing. CNNMoney.com reports that more than 23,000 workers and business owners along the Gulf Coast have filed claims for lost income. BP has cut checks for payday cash on 9,000 claims worth $27.8 million so far. Fishing boat captains have been receiving $5,000 a month and deck hands $1,000. Damon McKnight,owner of Super Strike Charters, which operates three boats in Venice, La., told CNN that he was expecting to pull in $50,000 a month during the gulf fishing season’s May to August peak.