Gulf Seafood Declared 100% Safe

Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Charles Bronson announced yesterday, Oct 27 that after extensive and continued testing there is “absolutely no evidence of oil, not a single taint of oil” in Florida seafood being caught in the Gulf of Mexico.

Bronson made the statement in response to a request from Senator Don Gaetz, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Florida’s Economy. Gaetz said it is important that visitors to Florida and residents of the state be assured of the high quality of fish caught, consumed, and sold through the state’s recreational and commercial fishing industries.

Bronson also announced that BP would pay $20 million to his department over the next three years to fund even more enhanced seafood inspections and marketing efforts designed to bolster public confidence in Gulf seafood. The BP funds will be split equally between inspections and marketing.

The importance of getting accurate information to the public and to wholesale purchasers of Florida fish was emphasized by the Senate Select Committee in its report on the economic impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

The recreational fishing industry brings millions of tourists and $4.4 billion to Florida’s economy and commercial fishing accounts for $170 million in dock value and many hundreds of millions more in Florida fish sold in restaurants in the state and throughout the nation.

Senator Gaetz praised Commissioner Bronson for pushing BP to provide funding and for the Commissioner’s intensive efforts to test seafood and report results.