NOAA Opens Waters Off Florida to Fin Fishing

[Baclava]

Opening of some federal waters off the politically touchy coast of the Florida panhandle to fin fishing earlier this week underscores just how much control the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Marine Fisheries Services continues to exercise over the oil-soaked Gulf seafood industry.

NOAA says oil has not been observed in the 5,144 square mile area off the Florida coast opened to fin fishing Tuesday since July 3. Risk of future exposure of the Florida waters to oil is low, according to NOAA.

Sensory testing by NOAA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of 153 samples of grouper, snapper, tuna, and mahi mahi found "no detectable oil or dispersant odors or flavors in the samples and results of chemical analysis were well below levels of concern."

(snips)



The area remains closed to non-finfish species, such as shrimp. The area west of Pensacola, FL over to Louisiana remains totally closed.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/08/noaa-opens-waters-off-florida-to-fin-fishing/

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Well, if NOAA and the FDA say it's OK...

[ensho]

1. sure

but don't feed it to your kids

[Baclava]

2. What is this "sensory testing" they speak of?

Do they sniff the guts? Lick the fish?



Is that scientific?

[ensho]

4. there have been several articles on this nose test

they smell the fish

supposedly they are trained to smell oil and the despersment

[Lucky 13]

3. I would not eat a damn thing coming out of those waters.

Not one damn thing.

We are being lied to.

[Baclava]

5. These are national government agencies we're talking about who are giving the green light.

Commerce Dept - check



I guess the FDA got pulled in for clout.


So business is business afterall, Eat Drink & Be Merry

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Baclava]

11. Truth will always take a back seat to tourism dollars in FL.

I just feel consumers should be wary of these early claims of "what oil? - all is well!"


I sense some serious arm twisting behind the scenes when "the smell test" trumps more testing.



"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirms there is no chemical test to show whether fish has been contaminated by corexit"

http://www.wkrg.com/gulf_oil_spill/article/smell-test-determines-whether-seafood-is-safe/910862/Aug-04-2010_9-44-pm/

[wordpix]

6. +1

[wordpix]

7. meanwhile, over at another board, when I posted info re: recent mass fish kills

I got skewered. No one wants to hear this news, I guess.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8932541

My post:

Massive fish kills in Gulf as government opens areas to fishing---Obama admin. appears incompetent

While on vacation in another state on Aug. 7, I accidentally found Fox News, which had this story on about a massive fish kill off the Miss. coast:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4304862/bp-may-drill-again-a...

I tried to find more information on better MSM news stations whenever I was in my room, but there was NOTHING. I have not even seen this story on MSNBC.

Now that I'm back home, I've found this other recent story:

Mass Fish Kill in Fourchon, LA http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/2010/08/mass-fish-kill-i...

and here is a good site, too: Oil Spill Citizen Report http://drlatulane.org/community/groups/gulf-oil-spill/d...

The question is: We can see the ongoing environmental damage with these fish kills and damaged crabs, so why is the Obama Admin. opening more areas to fishing? :shrug: :banghead: THIS is one reason this Obama supporter will be supporting any good progressive challenger in the 2012 primary, unless this admin gets its act together. :grr:

My bro, a staunch Repub, recently called Obama "incompetent." Normally I would have argued with him, but I just remained silent when he said it. Although I recognize O is better than Bush, I am starting to agree.

[Scurrilous]

8. Good news.

:thumbsup:

[Baclava]

9. Who are we to question the feds?

”We know how important it is to the culture and economy of this region to get back out on the water and be able to once again harvest the seafood that the Gulf is famous for,” said Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, commissioner of food and drugs.

“But our top priority in the wake of this disaster must be the safety of the fish that makes it to market. We are confident that the proper processes have been followed, and that consumers can feel good once again serving their families seafood from these waters,” she said.