State and federal agencies continue to conduct water sampling along the Florida coastline in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Officials with the Florida Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say they will continue to test water quality in fish and shellfish habitats along the Florida coastline and into the Gulf of Mexico and have indicated they have no intention of halting commercial and recreational fishing in Florida until there is evidence that the action is necessary.
The Department of Health and DEP are also closely monitoring health and environmental impacts to Florida’s beaches and will issue an advisory if conditions become unsafe.
Currently, numerous species of seafood including grouper, shrimp, flounder and swordfish as well as shellfish are safely being harvested in Florida waters.
At this time, there are no indications of any health risks to Floridians due to the Deepwater Horizon incident.
Agency leaders are concerned that rumors about the status of seafood harvesting in Florida could have a devastating impact on the state’s vital seafood and tourism industries. They want to ensure that residents and visitors are getting the facts and say if there is any change in the status of fishing in Florida, the information will be immediately released.
Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson said “Florida seafood has not been impacted by this oil spill at all and is completely safe. He added that “There is no reason to take any action at this point and numerous agencies continue to monitor the situation and take test samples and will ensure the integrity of any seafood product being sold.”
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