coast guard, just over 500 vessels prepared to do the job, once the seas settle after hurricane alex. st. bernard's parish president says the process is too slow and bureaucratic and he's putting local fishermen to work cleaning up oil. >> we're converting our own shrimp boats into skimming task forces that are winding up being a very efficient way to skim oil using the ability and the skills of our local fishermen. >> reporter: a shortage of skimmers is the problem, claims bp. the issue is not about paying for them, it's finding them. the coast guard tells cnn it's found another 25 coming from the navy, to which former general russell honore says, what took so long? >> we have to fix the command and control problem. we need command at sea to control the vessels and put the