BP trial delayed; Gulf still hurting

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL

Just hours before it was scheduled to start, the trial to decide who should pay for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill delayed for a week.

BP is trying to cut a deal with tens of thousands of businesses and individuals affected by the 2010 disaster. BP has said it set aside more than $6 billion to cover claims by businesses- but lawyers for the plaintiffs have said that is too low.

In Venice, Louisiana, 42 miles northwest from the ruptured well, business is still hurting according to Venice Marina Harbormaster Paul Reeves:

SOUNDBITE: PAUL REEVES, HARBORMASTER AT VENICE MARINA, (ENGLISH) SAYING:

"Business is off. The people aren't coming in quite the numbers that they normally do. Of course, it could be the economy, it could be the perception that this place is tainted, it's hard to say, but numbers are down. The fishing's good but the people just aren't here."

If a settlement is not reached, the ensuing trial could take close to a year. Eleven people were killed and 4.9 million barrels of oil were spewed from an oil well a mile deep- in what was by far the worst offshore U.S. oil spill.

Hunter Anthony James was taking a trip to shoot rabbit- and said almost two years after the spill he still sees residue:

SOUNDBITE: ANTHONY JAMES, A HUNTER FROM WALKER, LOUISIANA, (ENGLISH) SAYING:

" When you walk in the marshes and you pull your boot up, you just see it running off. It's definitely still there."

BP has taken reponsibility for the disaster, and estimated its legal and cleanup costs for the spill will total $43 billion.

If a settlement is reached in this case, it could be a key step towards a global settlement with BP's drilling partners and with federal and state governments as well.

Bobbi Rebell, Reuters.