Bobby Jindal Asks BP to Shell Out for Seafood Safety

by Nichol Nelson, Posted Jun 15th 2010 @ 1:00PM

Photo: Alex Ogle / AFP / Getty Images

As the BP oil spill rages on, politicians have shifted their focus from outrage to retribution. For Gulf Coast seafood producers, that means collecting damages for the large-scale impact on the area's seafood industry. Yesterday, after meeting with President Obama and other Gulf Coast leaders, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal called for BP to approve a $457 million seafood safety program for the region.

Jindal held his press conference in New Orlean's Acme Oyster House in the French Quarter -- a symbolic location chosen to remind Americans how integral local oysters, shrimp, and crawfish are to the region.

Surrounded by commercial fishermen and celebrity chefs like John Besh, Jindal reminded the crowd that seafood is hugely important to the state's financial health (and that of the region as a whole). In Louisiana alone, the impact on the economy is estimated at $2.3 billion. The proposed safety plan is essentially a 20-year initiative that calls for industry safeguards and repair the damage done to consumer confidence regarding seafood in local waters.

The plan, developed by the Louisiana Departments of Wildlife and Fisheries, Health and Hospitals, Environmental Quality, Economic Development and Agriculture and Forestry, was delivered to Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive officer, on May 29.

According to the letter, the plan would call for "implementation of a science-based seafood safety testing program with transparent metrics of safety and quality" and "a certification program for quality and processing of certified Louisiana seafood." Also, it would include a "successful short-term and sustained long-term consumer information campaign designed to reassert the Louisiana brand."

As public anger over BP's perceived lack of action continues to mount, it's a savvy time to request funds. Jindal said the $457 million represents "a fraction of what we would lose year after year after year" should BP decline to the request. It's just a drop in the bucket of what the oil company is going to end up shelling out for this mess, but for PR value alone, the money would be well-spent.

[via NOLA.com]

Filed Under: Food Politics, News
Tags: bobby jindal, bp oil spill, featured, gulf coast seafood, john besh, seafood

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-17-2010 @3:41PM Evie said... I think the governor of Louisiana did & said the right things at his press conference today. BP must assist the citizens of Louisiana & other Gulf states & Atlantic Ocean states that are & will be effected by this oil disaster in the days, weeks, months & years to come. Money nust be put into escrow accounts for YEARS TO COME FOR THE INJURED & FUTURE INJURED INDIVIDUALS, TOWNS, COMPANIES, WILD LIFE & ANY OTHER ENTITY WHICH IS & WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS DISASTER FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
Evie Vilar Glodic
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

6-25-2010 @11:48AM eamon said... 1Lay discarded carpets on beach and wetlands two or three deep if necessary, anchor with stakes or weights if required. 2 Remove when top carpets become oil filled. Try this on one half mile of beach to see results, if it keeps the sand clean then apply to all area's in danger. Should be more efficient than gathering up tons of sand with little oil blobs. Also try dropping larger carpets over main oil slicks, the oil will catch on fibers the oil filled carpet can then be removed. It will improve on shoveling the tons of sand for a few oil blobs.
Reply