Shrimp seller is trying to keep prices steady

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - The Gulf oil spill has changed lives for America's fishing industry. The effects are being felt even here in Kansas City, especially for people who love shrimp. The seafood is an all-time favorite at Jasper's and has been on the menu for 56 years. But that doesn't stop customers from asking if shrimp are safe to eat, as they continue to hear more about the Gulf Coast oil spill.

"It's okay. Go ahead and eat the shrimp right now. It's being tested. It's probably better than it was before, because we know every piece is being tested right now that's coming out of the Gulf," said Jasper Mirabile Jr., chef and owner of Jasper's.

Bubba John agrees with Mirabile and knows better than most he says, because he sells shrimp at a south Kansas City roadside stand. John recently returned from Alabama's Gulf Coast, where he purchases his shrimp and its also where he grew up.

"Down there in the Gulf, we're survivors. We've been through Katrina. We know what hard times are. We will survive this. That's all we can do," John said.

He's also trying to survive by holding his prices steady, despite paying two dollars more a pound for the shrimp Kansas City loves.