When looking at a load of newly delivered crab, the smell "knocked us down," St. Bernard Parish seafood dealer Kevin Heier told Fox 8 New Orleans.

"Heier believes the crabs were contaminated with oil," according to Fox 8.

Heier was "in total shock" and had never seen anything like this before. Neither had his colleague who's been in the crab business for 60 years.

They contacted the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, reported Fox 8 and Heier said, "We got a biologist that was supposed to come here. About an hour passed and he never showed up, so we called the biologist and he said my superior stopped me from coming."

Fox 8 added that Heier said that after more than 24 hours "the catch can not be tested because all of the crabs have since died." "They died already," said another dealer.

Heier told Fox 8, "It's like we can't get help from nobody."

"Wildlife and Fisheries" said it will test the crabs if new samples are collected tomorrow.

"St. Bernard fishermen, though, are convinced the crabs are full of oil and they believe the test results will prove their case," the report concludes.