Freshly Out of Stock: HEB Gulf Oysters

Day 83 of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is reaching Texas in more ways than washed up tar balls on the beaches of Galveston.  HEB grocery stores in Austin are announcing their supplies of Gulf oysters have diminished as a result of the spill.

Seafood restaurants are also monitoring the situation closely.  Quality Seafood, 5621 Airport Boulevard, is offering oysters from other regions.  A sign near the cash register informs customers that Gulf oysters are no longer an option, but employees are quick to offer oysters from areas like the east coast.

"We need to be looking toward other areas of the country, other oceans, but also other farm-raised products that are domestic, like Texas shrimp," said Sarah Harper, a fishmonger at Quality Seafood.

Harper said restaurants will have to rely more heavily on products that come from Texas, which would help strengthen the economy.

"We do have other options, and that's encouraging for Texas business," Harper said.

Meantime, customers are changing their eating habits as they wonder when the spill will be contained.  A new strategy is giving some people hope that it could come as soon as Monday, July 12.

Picture above courtesy Ryan O'Keefe (Twitter user @sainthero)

Watch the oil spill live, courtesy WKRG TV.

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