The oil spill that took place in the La Quinta Channel on Christmas Eve has raised concerns with those who live in the surrounding area.
Jeff Wright and his wife own Anne's Baithouse on the Bay. The business is located next to the Ingleside by The Bay public boat launch. Wright is hoping Flint Hills gets the 3,800 gallons of light crude oil cleaned up.
The oil even reached the nearby spoil island.
"I do believe that it's a way more special than what they're saying that's why they're trying to keep everyone out, I'm not 100 percent sure about that of course, but that's my thinking," Wright said.
People like Bill Peebles visit Wright's business to get the best and freshest bait around.
"Yesterday I went fishing, and I just saw a very very faint shimmering of oil on the surface. Just very faint. I mean if I didn't know there was a leak I wouldn't had thought anything of it," Peebles said.
U.S. Coast Guard officials told 3NEWS that it now appears their cleanup operation will be completed by Thursday evening. While that's welcome news for everyone, Wright is still concerned about the future of his business. He said there's so much industry in the area now, and talk of a desal facility being built along the coast -- he feels will be the death of his business.
"All of the fishing. All of the bait will go and will no longer be here and so when that occurs yes, my business will shut down. I don't know what to do about it," Wright said.
3NEWS asked the captain of the Francine shrimp boat Huong Pham about how fishing has been lately. He said even with no desal plant built the fishing isn't good.
"The shrimping not good. This year not too good. This year slow," Pham said.