Feinberg to increase payments to Gulf shrimpers hit hard by oil spill

{mosads}Feinberg modified the GCCF’s payment structure in August to ensure that oyster harvesters receive greater compensation, pointing to the effects of the oil spill on the industry.

Under the new rules, oysters harvesters receive four times their 2010 earnings and oyster leaseholders receive seven times their 2010 earnings. The rules also give shrimpers two times their 2010 earnings.

Feinberg said Thursday that he intends to increase the compensation level for shrimpers, but he offered no specifics.

“We’re thinking of various options; we’ll see,” he said. “But we really have to do something about the shrimpers.”

BP agreed in June 2010 to set up a $20 billion fund to compensate victims of the oil spill. President Obama later tapped Feinberg, who headed the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, to oversee the distribution of the money.

Feinberg’s GCCF has doled out about $5.5 billion during the last 14 months, to more than 200,000 victims of the spill.