CSPI approaches US governors to ban gulf coast oysters

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is putting pressure on governors across the country to ban the sale of untreated oysters from the Gulf Coast. The group has issued a letter to 49 governors and the mayor of the District of Columbia calling on them to ban the sale of oysters from the Gulf Coast from April through October if the oysters have not first received post harvest treatment like irradiation or quick freezing. The group says the oysters carry the risk of Vibrio vulnificus, a naturally occurring organism which can be deadly to people with liver or kidney disease, AIDS, cancer, diabetes or other conditions that can compromise the immune system. Vibrio vulnificus causes about 15 deaths a year. The group says it needs to take stronger action because it feels the Food and Drug Administration has abdicated its responsibility to ensure shellfish safety and instead lets the industry police itself. The FDA is working with the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Commission to try to make oyster safer – they are currently requiring new rules for the summer oyster harvesting season that will require local oystermen to harvest oysters earlier in the day and require oystermen in some other gulf coast states to put coolers on their boats. The Center for Science in the Public Interest says it does consider those to be effective changes. If you would like to see a copy of the letter being sent to US governors, we have linked a copy on this story at oysterradio.com.


See a copy of the letter here.