Six weeks after the beginning of the nation’s worst oil spill since the Exxon Valdez, federal officials have suspended fishing operations in 37 percent of the Gulf of Mexico as BP and the government scramble to cap the undersea leak. In addition to worrying about the long-term environmental effects of the spill, the Gulf seafood industry is doing everything it can to quell concerns about food safety.
According to an article in USA Today, Louisiana shrimp fisherman normally would pack about 250,000 pounds a day of Gulf of Mexico shrimp; however, that number has plummeted to 15,000 pounds today. Worse yet, selling prices are 50-percent higher than the same time last year, added one wholesaler. According to the article, the seafood industry is taking it on the chin as many Americans fear the prospect of eating potentially contaminated food.
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