WASHINGTON—Nearly three months since the April 20 explosion aboard the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico that triggered the nation’s worst oil spill since the Exxon Valdez and closed nearly one-third of the area’s fishing waters, federal and state officials have given the OK to reopen miles of state waters in the Mississippi Sound, from the mainland to the barrier islands, to commercial fishing.
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg was on hand in Mississippi July 30 to reopen the waters to commercial fishing as well as reassure the communities and consumers that seafood harvested from the Gulf waters does not pose any health risks.
“Through close coordination with our state and federal partners, we are confident all appropriate steps have been taken to ensure that seafood harvested from the waters being opened today is safe and that Gulf seafood lovers everywhere can be confident eating and enjoying the fish and shrimp that will be coming out of this area," she said. “I have heard first-hand from commercial fishermen and seafood processors about not only the importance of getting back to their livelihoods, but also their commitment to protecting the health of their customers and making sure consumers have the most up-to-date and accurate information available.
“The fishermen and processors in the Gulf want to know that all of the proper protocols and testing methods were used to ensure that the seafood is safe. FDA is supporting Mississippi in this reopening as it is clear that all the proper protocol and methods were indeed followed. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners in all of the Gulf states to reopen affected waters as quickly and safely as possible."
In June, representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service, FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) met in New Orleans with state health officers and state fisheries directors from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to coordinate implementation of a joint protocol for sampling and reopening that will apply to both state and federal waters. Since then, some commercial fishing has resumed in Louisiana and Mississippi.