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Gulf Seafood Is Safe to Eat
 Protecting public health and ensuring the safety of seafood is a shared priority for NOAA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Gulf states, and Gulf fishermen in the wake of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. One of the first actions taken was to close oiled waters to fishing, so fishermen would not catch tainted seafood and bring them back to shore. Opening those waters after oil receded required extensive testing. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Gulf seafood safety.
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Profiles In Fishing
Meet Megan Westmeyer
Sustainable Seafood Initiative Coordinator, South Carolina Aquarium
What does the word "sustainable" mean to you?
Sustainable means that we use our natural resources in such a way that those resources will still be available for future generations. By our mere presence on the earth, our population has an impact on the environment. As responsible stewards of the earth I believe we have an obligation to minimize that impact.
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Profiles In Fishing
Meet Steve Barbeaux
Fishery Scientist, NOAA
What does the term "sustainable seafood" mean to you?
Sustainability to me means being a good steward to the environment to ensure that seafood will be available to future generations. Sustainable seafood relies on the application of good science to the management of the resource and is dependent on the cooperation of all people involved in the resource: fishermen, scientists, managers, and seafood consumers.
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Profiles In Fishing
Meet Milton Chiu
Seafood Inspector, NOAA
What does the term "sustainable seafood" mean to you?
Sustainable seafood means that it is managed properly so the resource is available at the present and for generations to come. Since NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program inspects the seafood for school lunch programs, I have seen more seafood available for this program now than 20 years ago. >> read more
Profiles In Fishing
Meet Dawn Martin
President, SeaWeb
What does the word "sustainable" mean to you?
To paraphrase Aldo Leopold, sustainable means taking resources from the environment only if it does not disturb the "integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community," and doing so in such a way that our world can naturally replenish itself. All that this planet has to offer has to be maintained to ensure a healthy environment for generations to come. >> read more
Profiles In Fishing
Meet Christine Keff
Chef and Owner, Flying Fish, Seattle, WA
What does the term "sustainable seafood" mean to you?
To me, sustainable seafood means that we are protecting our nation's fisheries by harvesting fish at a sound level, meaning the populations can replace themselves and will be here for future generations. >> read more
Profiles In Fishing
Meet Bob Rheault
Aquaculturist and President of East Coast Shellfish Growers
What does the word "sustainable" mean to you?
To me producing "sustainably" means being able to do what I do (farm oysters) knowing that I am not impairing the ability of future generations to enjoy a clean and healthy marine environment. >> read more
Profiles In Fishing
Meet Pete Halmay
Commercial Fisherman; President, San Diego Fishermen's Working Group
What does the word "sustainable" mean to you?
Sustainable means much more than counting the number of fish that are harvested. It means understanding how the system works in a holistic manner. It also means a sustainable fishing community, and the sharing of the fishermen's ecological knowledge. >> read more
Profiles In Fishing
Meet Larry Jennings
Recreational Angler
What does the word "sustainable" mean to you?
On the surface, it's simply harvesting no more fish than that particular species can replace when it next spawns. >> read more
Profiles In Fishing
Meet Corey Feldner
Commercial Fisherman
What does the term "sustainable seafood" mean to you?
I ensure the quality of the fish I catch over the quantity of fish I could catch because these fish need to be around for generations. I take care of these fish like I am going to eat them myself. The fish I catch come on my boat one at a time and are taken care of from the minute they hit the deck. They're cleaned and iced and they will be in somebody's restaurant or on somebody's plate within 3 days. In fact, my fish are fit for the President of the United States. They have been served at a White House State Dinner. >> read more
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FishWatch can help you make informed decisions about the seafood you eat by providing the most accurate and up-to-date information on seafood available in the U.S. FishWatch is brought to you by NOAA Fisheries Service, the U.S. authority on marine fisheries science, conservation, and management.