Oil spill has hurt business at local bait shops (PHOTOS)

FORT WALTON BEACH — As fewer people fish along the Gulf Coast because of the BP oil spill, local bait shops are among the businesses feeling the strain.

Paul Roberts took over the former Brooks Bridge Bait & Tackle after the business closed in late March. Sales of live bait at the renamed Adventure Marina Bait, Fuel & Water Sports are down about 80 percent so far this month compared to June’s sales, which also were hurt by the oil spill.

Check out the latest oil spill photos »

“It’s had a huge impact. I would say business is down probably a good 75, 80 percent across the board,” Roberts said. “It’s hurt us. It’s hurt us severely and I believe it’s going to go on hurting us.”

Other bait shops also have had their sales and inventory affected.

Half Hitch Tackle, which has stores in Navarre, Destin, Panama City and Port St. Joe, is shuffling products among its outlets to make sure each one has what it needs while reducing the need to order more merchandise.

“It’s definitely impacted us,” said Robert Cochran, who works at Half Hitch Tackle in Navarre. “We’re easily 50, 60 percent down this summer, and these are our busiest times of the year.”

Cochran said the Navarre store was planning to hire an extra part-time employee, but has decided to hold off because of the spill.

Cochran said the only thing the store has had difficulty getting now is live shrimp, but that had more to do with the water temperature than the oil spill.

Adventure Marina still is able to get and sell live bait. While Roberts received a delivery of 2,000 live shrimp Wednesday, he said they are more difficult to get now.

Roberts also is concerned about the spill’s effect on fishing in the years to come.

Various species of tuna breed near Deepwater Horizon rig site, and the oil could be devastating to the fishery, Roberts said.

“I think the long-term effects are going to be horrible,” Roberts said. “I wish I could say otherwise, and I am the king of optimism. I plan for the worst and hope for the best. It scares the hell out of me for my own children. It scares me to death that they will never be able to grow up and see the things I saw when I was their age.”