This catastrophe should not have happened.
We have no control over what's happening right now in our industry.
And we've been doing this too long, 134 years to have it taken away from us.
And we expect to be able to do this for the next 134 years.
My name is Sal Sinceri.
I am co-owner of P&J Oyster Company.
And I'm spelled by the way Sal Sinceri, S-U-N-S-E-R-R.
And pronounce Sinceri, so don't forget that, that's important.
We are a processor and distributor of oysters.
We solely work with oysters, that's our only product.
And we've been doing this since 1876.
And it's a fifth generation family business.
And it's the oldest oyster company in America.
We no longer process oysters.
Our growing area is mainly from 9 through 13.
Those are wildlife and fisheries, oyster map lines.
And the west side of the river from Mississippi River to pretty much Terrebourg,
areas 9 through 13 are the most productive and traditional growing areas for private leases.
And that's been shut down since, you know, for what, 80 days now.
We've laid off 10 shuckers and our other employees are very part-time.
We're talking 15 to 20 hours a week.
So we've been directly affected.
It's just helplessness is what it is, it's helplessness.
Not having any control over what you've built your life around and your livelihood is now being taken away.
So what kind of feeling do I have?
You know, just emptiness.
I mean, you know, what do you see?
What do you see in the future here?
You know, I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't have an answer.
If we could continue to keep this thing capped and cleaned up and the dispersants not, you know,
what we think is happening is that the dispersant truly has devastated
the food chain in the Louisiana Gulf.
So if that doesn't happen, it would be fantastic.
Have you been talking directly to a VP at all?
Yeah, we have.
And we're, our shuckers are being taken care of now.
But yet, just recently, they had told me that they did not get their last couple of payments.
So I don't know where that stands.
As of yet, I have a call in, you know, to VP for them.
We have shown them all of our proper law statements.
And, you know, hopefully they're going to come through for us.
And again, we, you know, we don't know how long this is going to be.
So you tell me what is the value of P&J Oyster Company?
What is the value of a 134 year old family tradition?
P&J Oyster Company
P&J Oyster Company
