On Testing Gulf Seafood
At his oil spill hearing today, Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) questioned Obama administration officials about their testing of Gulf seafood. Markey, the House
Jul 31, 202072.4K Shares2.7M Views
At his oil spill hearingtoday, Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) questioned Obama administration officials about their testing of Gulf seafood.
Markey, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy and Environment Subcommittee chairman, called the special hearing during the August recess after questions about the government’s research on the oil spill emerged. Here’s what we learned from the hearing:
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration determines whether seafood is contaminated with oil and chemical dispersants through a series of smell tests.
- As ProPublicaand others have previously noted, Gulf seafood undergoes chemical testing for the presence of oil, but not for the presence of chemicals dispersants, which were dumped into the Gulf to break up oil.
- It is unclear whether NOAA tests seafood for heavy metals. The administration said it would provide more details on the issue to Markey in the coming days.
- The administration does not conduct testing of seafood in areas of the ocean that have been covered in oil, only those areas outside of “oiled areas” where some fishing is now allowed.
- The administration uses a 176-pound male as model to determine whether the presence of oil and dispersants is harmful. Markey said that model could be inadequate to ensure the safety of women and children.
But the administration officials testifying at the hearing stressed that all of the tests they’ve conducted show seafood is safe to eat. “We believe that the fish coming out of the gulf do not have issues of concern,” said Donald Kraemer, acting deputy director at the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Dexter Cooke
Reviewer
Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide.
He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations.
As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all.
Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
Latest Articles
Popular Articles