Last week an 810-foot-long container ship struck the base of a tower of the bay bridge. The resulting aftermath was an estimated spilling of some 58,000 gallons of fuel directly into the San Francisco bay according to the California Coast Guard.

Recently the spill has spread to San Mateo County. According to Joe Madden, a representative for the Californian Department of Fishing and Game, 24 beaches have been closed due to the oil spill including Sharp Park and Linda Mar beaches.

“I love the Ocean. It’s the one thing Pacifica has going for it”, says Skyline student Kristi Parenti-Kurttila, 19.

It is unknown how long the beaches will be closed for, although most say probably until the majority of the oil has been removed from the oceans. Unfortunately the extensiveness of the spill is still unknown, so no time table has been able to be confirmed.

The O’Brien’s Group, a private contractor that has the “response management experts who bring people, resources, and experience when disaster strikes”, says that there are many scientists who are working on the problem and at 1 p.m. on Wednesday Nov. 14 a team of scientists did a sweep of Pacifica Beaches checking oil contamination levels and effects.

Many private contractors have been hired to address the clean up and wildlife protection of the bay area with most refusing to take additional volunteer help. Joe Madden on that topic said, “We have plenty of skilled volunteers working out and they’re doing their best to help.”

While volunteers spread themselves in all aspects of environmental help a big chunk are helping the local wildlife. Some animals are being relocated, while others are simply being cleaned off and having their habitats washed down.

“We have a big board in our main office… what’s happening to the animals are at the top off that board,” says Joe Madden. “Right now we have 590 birds dead with plenty more fish and invertebrates dead as well.”

Because of the polluted environment, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered a halt on fishing on Tuesday Nov. 13, not only in the San Francisco Bay but the outlining areas as well. The once numerous daily fisherman on the Pacifica Pier have now been replaced with an 8 foot high gate saying “PIER CLOSED”.

“Not being able to fish is torture, I hate the fact that because of some idiot I can’t do what I love,” says local casual fisherman Andrew Dickenson.