Wednesday, August 31, 2011
DOCUMENTARY BEING FILMED IN TAMPA: TELL YOUR GULF OIL SPILL STORIES Oct 27-28!!!
SACRED GROUNDS COFFEEHOUSE
4819 E. BUSCH BLVD
TAMPA, FL 33617
EXACT TIMES WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE DATES.
The title of the film is still being worked on and will be announced as soon as it is final.
On OCTOBER 27-28, 2011, documentary film makers will be in Tampa to film anyone who wants to speak about how the Gulf Oil Spill has affected them, economically, health-wise, etc.
Interviews will be conducted and will last up to 30 minutes. So if you have a story to tell, please join us in letting the world know that the Gulf Oil Spill is far from over and still has affected us in a major way here in the Gulf Region.
This is a perfect time to TELL YOUR STORY and be a part of a major, full length documentary feature film that will tell the TRUTH about what happened in the Gulf and what continues to happen to all life that lives here.
IT IS DEFINITELY NOT OVER!
CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR and SAVE THE DATES!
OCTOBER 27-28, 2011!!!
For more information and to add your name to the list of participants, please contact me at anitamstewart@yahoo.com with MOVIE in CAPS on the subject line. Also include your phone number and the best time to call you so I can conduct a pre-interview with you.
http://www.garynull.com/
Oil Sharks, Doilphins, and SeaToitles -- Enough is Enough! (PICTURES)
FROM WINGS OF CARE...
Gulf of Mexico
We flew today to find whale sharks, so that scientists who were out there in a boat could fit them with tags that would report their gps positions and ultimately tell us more about them. The seas were utterly calm, like glass. The bait balls were glistening everywhere as we flew to open seas south of Grand Isle about 100 miles. We were so optimistic! Alas, in over six hours of flying covering almost 600 miles, not a one was found today. Nor a single sperm whale. We found two huge pods of bottlenose dolphin, one with over 100 individuals, another with at least 75. And a couple of fine leatherback sea turtles. But between those sightings -- and sometimes uncomfortably close to them, all we found was what we are so very tired of seeing -- more and more OIL.In fact, we found so much oil out in the Macondo Prospect (near the site of the April 2010 explosion), that we have an 11-minute video of it that never covers the same area twice! Not since last summer have we seen this kind of expansive surface sheen. Metallic-gray and rainbow swirls stretched for miles, mixed with dark-brown stuff that resembled weathered crude more than sargassum weed. And there were those round-shaped 'globs' of oil again, here, there, and everywhere it seemed. We did not want to see this stuff anymore!
READ MORE AT THIS LINK:
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Cherri Foytlin Speaks from the Tar Sands Protest at the White House
Cherri Foytlin from the Gulf Coast at the Tar Sands Action, DC / White House
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
TAR SANDS ACTION IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE--ARRESTS TODAY!
Cherri Foytlin and many more! Photo by Steve Liptay
Cherri Foytlin and many more! Photo by Steve Liptay
Photo by Gulf Coast Fund on Facebook
Find out more about this action here:
http://www.tarsandsaction.org/
Find out more about this action here:
http://www.tarsandsaction.org/
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Breaking News--Bird's Eye View: GRN Spots Oil Near BP's Macondo Well
This morning I set out on a long flight to investigate reports of oil sightings near BP’s Macondo well, the site where the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank into the Gulf killing 11 workers and spewing at least 4.9 million barrels of oil. Whenever I here reports like this I tend to get antsy and want to fly out to see for myself so I can document and report back. So, thanks to the generous support of Lamar Billups, I was lucky enough to fly again with Bonny Schumaker of the nonprofit On Wings of Care and GRN’s Canvass Director, Tarik Zawia. It was a long and productive flight so there are lots of things that I could write about. Nevertheless, I will cut to the chase and just highlight the most important things.
First, we spotted oil on the surface above the exact location where the Deepwater Horizon and Macondo well are located, in Mississippi Canyon Block 252. Take a look at the captions in the photos for coordinates. Obviously, from the air I cannot confirm that the oil is BP’s and from there Macondo well. I can only report that I spotted oil above that location. I reported this to the National Response Center and had a lengthy conversation with a Coast Guard official. Notice that the oil seems to be clustered in round formations. I have no idea why or how this could happen and neither could the USGC official. The formations are clearly rainbow in color and in some cases have also a brownish tint.
First, we spotted oil on the surface above the exact location where the Deepwater Horizon and Macondo well are located, in Mississippi Canyon Block 252. Take a look at the captions in the photos for coordinates. Obviously, from the air I cannot confirm that the oil is BP’s and from there Macondo well. I can only report that I spotted oil above that location. I reported this to the National Response Center and had a lengthy conversation with a Coast Guard official. Notice that the oil seems to be clustered in round formations. I have no idea why or how this could happen and neither could the USGC official. The formations are clearly rainbow in color and in some cases have also a brownish tint.
See more at the link:
Friday, August 19, 2011
MOVIE FILMING IN TAMPA: TELL YOUR GULF OIL SPILL STORIES
| Time | Sunday, September 11 · 12:00pm - 10:00pm |
|---|
EXACT LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED!On September 11, 2011, documentary film makers will be in Tampa to film anyone who wants to speak about how the Gulf Oil Spill has affected them, economically, health-wise, etc. Interviews will be conducted and will last up to 30 minutes. So if you have a story to tell, please join us in letting the world know that the Gulf Oil Spill is far from over and still has affected us in a major way here in the Gulf Region. This is a perfect time to TELL YOUR STORY and be a part of a major, full length documentary feature film that will tell the TRUTH about what happened in the Gulf and what continues to happen to all life that lives here. IT IS DEFINITELY NOT OVER!CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR and SAVE THE DATE!September 11, 2011!!!For more information and to add your name to the list of participants, please contact me at anitamstewart@yahoo.com with MOVIE in CAPS on the subject line.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
BP Carpet Bombed The Gulf With Corexit Poisoning Marine Life, Workers & The Public
BY AZIM PRENATASMJI M.D. ON AUGUST 17, 2011
WARNING: Corexit might affect genetic material. May cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects based on creature examination data. The government states the dispersant Corexit 9500A is no extra toxic than crude oil. Crude oil is toxic to humans on top of 11 parts per million and there be locations inside the gulf showing 15-221 parts per million. They declare the combination of corexit and crude oil is extra toxic than the oil itself. Many reports demonstrate they has no method of testing the levels of corexit and oil combined. What inside relation to the health and safety of the public? Where do this go away the public? They stated oil and corexit determination not enter the foodstuff chain. Guess what they be wrong. The oil and corexit has entered the foodstuff chain inside the Gulf of Mexico. They declare it’s safe to consume the seafood that clearly contains oil, if it contains oil it contains corexit. If the combination of oil and corexit is extra toxic than oil alone, how be able to the seafood be safe to eat?
READ MORE AT THE LINK:
Joy Towles Ezell on Climate Change, a Florida Shero!
Joy Towles Ezell is a model for citizen activists everywhere who want to take-on the polluters causing climate change and other environmental degradation. She believes that anyone can do what she does, and shares some of her secrets.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
SEAFOOD IS NOT SAFE "They blinded you with science," by Trisha Springstead, RN
Download Trisha James' Spreadsheet calculations http://bit.ly/seafood-safety/and help us continue our efforts to document BP's damage to the Gulf athttp://www.hope5.com The seafood isn't safe! The oil is still here and so are we!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Water Wars by Janet C. Phelan (an honest accounting of the use of WATER, it's condition and who gets it--A WATER WEAPON)
***Note from Anita, this article is dated but still pertains to RIGHT NOW!
Water Wars
by Janet C. Phelan Saturday, Apr. 26, 2008 at 3:24 PM
The U.S. Patriot Act and other pieces of legislation authorize a "culling of the herds."Water Wars-An Update" By publishing “Water As A Weapon” in the July/August edition, The American’s Bulletin made journalistic history. There have been massive efforts to censor the information in that article, and its publication in hard copy is truly a victory for freedom of the press, during dark times for truth and personal liberty. Back in 2004, while a columnist at the Santa Monica Daily Press, I had begun to research the water weapon. I had made an initial request for water records, tendered at City Hall in Santa Monica . Immediately, the machine moved into gear. Within six hours of that first request, I received a phone call from SMDP Editor Carolyn Sackariason. She informed me that she had received a call from the City Attorney’s office and told me, with some anxiety infusing her voice, that she had not authorized me to ask questions about water, and that I was “endangering” her position as Editor of the Daily Press. When it became clear that this was an unresolvable issue, I quit in protest. To my amazement, I found that I had been blackballed in my field. I was not able to secure other journalistic employment; in fact, I was suddenly not able to secure steady employment at all. Homeless and nearly broke, I ended up working day labor through Labor Ready, and sleeping on beaches and in parks. Personal survival issues became critical , but I continued to work the water story as diligently as possible. I was not the only party involved in the water story who lost employment. Fred d’Aguilar, who had been working on the City Desk of the Los Angeles Times for fifteen years, had been functioning as a sounding board for me as I continued on with this story, without the umbrella or sponsorship of a newspaper. It was Fred who had suggested the title of the original article, “Public Extermination Project.” We were engaging in a steady patter of gallows humor in our phone calls: “Need more PEP in your life? Try drinking L.A. water!” and so on. With Fred’s insistence, I sent him over the first draft of the PEP article. He brought it to the attention of his editors at the Times, and Fred was shortly thereafter “let go.” At last report, he was engaged in starting up his own business, which was not involved with media. Read more here:
http://pittsburgh.indymedia.org/news/2008/04/29379.php
Friday, August 12, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Cherri Foytlin, SHERO of the Gulf...arrested in NOLA on 8/4/11 Outside of BP Offices
Picture of me and Cherri attached. I am proud to know this lady!
At that meeting, I was told that we were allowed on the sidewalk only. That there would be plain clothed officers among us, and that if we crossed a certain line, which runs from the building to the parking lot, we would be arrested. The detectives, very nicely, drew us a map to explain the exact whereabouts of that line.
So, I intentionally crossed that invisible line and took their tar balls back to them - a box full that had been picked up our beaches that day, (with no clean-up workers in sight, I might add). At least 15 other people chose to go with me, to complete this task.
As we approached the front door, we were met immediately by a representative of the company, the building and a security guard. Together they refused us any access to the building, citing that all BP workers had been dismissed for the day - a fact I knew to be untrue, because the state police had told me at our previous meeting that although most would be sent home at 4:30 that day, some would be available until 5:30, (at the time that they had told us this, they were trying to facilitate a meeting between us and BP - to which we had said was only an option it Feinberg and Zimmer was in attendance, and to which BP had refused to consider).
And that was where we stayed.
In the mean time, kind people from within our group brought us waters and other refreshments in order to make our stay more comfortable. So, naturally, it was not very long before I personally had to urinate.
A very respectful gentleman from the state police had come forward to negotiate, just as he had the day before at the meeting in the SBI offices. I asked him, jokingly, if he thought they would just let me in to pee. He said no and that “They were freaking out in there.”, but pointed out that there were portable toilets just beyond the fence in a nearby hotel construction site.
After a few minutes, I felt it calm enough at that moment - since all BP representatives, building security and police personnel were discussing the issue inside, (excluding the one member of the state police that, at that time, was sitting with us), I could go use the restroom quickly, and come back.
So, I did. I jumped the fence and used the facilities. Upon my return jump, I realized that the BP reps in the building had seen me go and went running to find me, perhaps thinking I had looked for an alternative route into the building.
And that they had taped me jumping the fence and notified the nearby construction site mangers of my trespassing. We believe that they had hoped that the other owners would have had me arrested for trespassing and kept the BP name out of the incident. You see, arresting and charging people for bringing to light their negligence and lack of response sort of blows that whole “making it right” image.
But, the people next door had no interest in arresting me, or anyone else. We have more allies than they, or even we, know - you see?
I then joined the others in sitting, which we continued for over all around 3 hours until a little after 8:00 pm, which is when - after negotiating tirelessly, and being very respectful with us all day, the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police gave us one more chance to end the protest and go home before arrests were made.
Truth is, I knew that I personally was going to get arrested if I stayed sitting there, I knew that. And this was a decision that had not been made lightly on my part.
Over the last year and nearly a half I have studied past movements that have worked on different levels. And thanks to those who have come before us, we have a general formula for affecting change.
According to Dr. King, mainly from his letters while he, himself, was sitting in an Alabama jail, he said that the progression includes the following:
- To find out if an injustice exists - without doubt we, the people of the Gulf, have been dealt with very unjustly with regards to this corporation and our governments handling of this event, as well as others across the Gulf.
- To negotiate - we, the residents, fishermen, clean-up workers, tourism industry workers, oil workers, community organizers, ect, have negotiated on the local, state and federal levels with the HHS, the CDC, the NOAA, the EPA, the GCERT, the CEQ, the DEQ, the Oil Spill Commission, the Administration, and BP itself for nearly 16 months - to little or no avail.
- Dr. King’s next step was to “self-purify” - each person must take this step alone. Personally, I had first interpreted this step as the ending of bad habits, such as social drinking. But on the walk I realized that he was talking about preparing your mind against egotistical illusions, self-doubt and self-pity.
- The last step is action. And in the successful civil rights movement, as well as the Eastern Indian movement for independence, that meant non-violent action and civil disobedience taken against the oppressors in order to advance the cause of, and bring to light the call for, justice and liberty.
Our being arrested, was just the first step of that last phase.
Now, while I was sitting there I had a good friend of mine, who is very sick from the toxins still in his system and our environment, say to me, “Cherri, it is not worth getting arrested.”. He was begging me not to take that final step. He did that, because he love me, and he did not wish to see me suffer, I understand that - and it warms my heart. But my response to him was, “My friend, you are so worth getting arrested for”.
You see that is what we all must understand. You, my friend, are worth it. Our ecosystem is worth it, our kids are worth it, our future is worth it.. We must understand the value of what we have and be determined in protection of that. We must take up responsibility to, and for, each other now, in these times. Because, we are all worth it.
As we sat there, we repeatedly looked across the crowd and saw testament to that notion; such as, the poster my 9-year-old had made of her depiction of Earth with pollution dotting it, and the eyes of the people who were sick from chemical poisoning and yet had still come out to take a stand, calloused hands of a fishermen, community organizers who we have all seen at events from Texas, to Florida, to D.C. - demanding, begging sometimes, to be heard on behalf of the communities and ecosystem that they love. And we saw grandmothers and grandfathers, daddies and mommies, and sisters and brothers, all united in the simple humanitarian right of clean air and water.
One person in particular, Kimberly Wolf, a warrior woman who I have had the honor of getting to know early on in this fight, and who also has terminal cancer, yet got out of her bed and joined us for as long as she could - strengthened our souls. She is the picture of strength and love in all of this - and in seeing her, I have never been so moved by an example of commitment and perseverance.
That is the epitome of what this event, and our arrest, was about. That there is hope, we have allegiance to each other, that the loss of one does not and will not end the journey of the whole for truth, justice and recompense of the human rights violations that are taking place in our homeland.
There are so many to thank for the success of the day. I would especially like to recognize Kyle Nugent and Noah Learned, who I had not met prior and yet went all the way on behalf of our people and coast. The people who helped in organizational duties, too many to name here - but in particular Karen S, Ada, Devin, Josh, Mary-Margaret, Anne, Elizabeth, Robert - there are so many. And including the people who were at the event(s) of last week, and/or are still working on this issue, or others like it.. you are all my heroes.
I would also like to make clear, that the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police Department were very kind in their treatment of us before, during and after our arrest. The first thing I was told after getting in the car was, “Why didn’t you just go home, Miss Cherri? None of us wanted to arrest you.”
They also took the handcuffs off as soon as we arrived at the station, and made sure we were as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.
So, there you have it.
I want you all to know, that we will not stop. We will not stop until our fishermen, our workers, our families, our wildlife, our waters, our region - are made whole again. Because when you love something, when you really do, you will never be silenced in protecting and fighting for it.
There will be further opportunities for those caring souls across the nation to stand with us for justice. Be ready.
You see, THAT is the greatest weapon in our tool box, that is what will win this and so many other battles we have been called to participate in, it’s our LOVE that will carry the day.
On August 4 we took our first stand. Courage, my friends, this is just a beginning.
Yours truly,
Cherri Foytlin tells of her arrest at the BP Protest in NOLA
Cherri was arrested for civil disobedience to mark the anniversary of the so called end of the BP crisis.
 |
| Photo by JLW |
The day before yesterday, on August 4, 2011, one year after the President of our United States stood on national television and said that 75% of the oil that had spewed into our Gulf was gone, I was booked into the New Orleans Parish Police lock-up with the charge of Criminal Trespassing.
The day before, I had been called by the Louisiana State Police Department to come to a meeting with them to discuss the Non-violent Direct Action Protest that myself and a united group consisting of environmentalists, community organizers, fishermen and clean-up workers, had organized in front of the British Petroleum offices, which are on the 13th and 14th floor of 1250 Poydras in NOLA.
When we got to the event, which at the beginning had nearly 100 in attendance, I made the announcement that I was going to cross that line. And that I was doing this in protest of the so many lines that BP has crossed, in my mind, concerning the cleaning up of their mess, the spraying of toxic chemicals in our water, the murder of 11 of our energy providers, the disrespect and economical damage to our fishermen and residents, and the denial of and lack of response to health issues and claims since April 20 of last year.
As we approached the front door, we were met immediately by a representative of the company, the building and a security guard. Together they refused us any access to the building, citing that all BP workers had been dismissed for the day - a fact I knew to be untrue, because the state police had told me at our previous meeting that although most would be sent home at 4:30 that day, some would be available until 5:30, (at the time that they had told us this, they were trying to facilitate a meeting between us and BP - to which we had said was only an option it Feinberg and Zimmer was in attendance, and to which BP had refused to consider).
Being unable to enter the building, we dropped the tar balls on the sidewalk (in plastic), and sat down directly in front of the doors, where others came to join us.
In the mean time, kind people from within our group brought us waters and other refreshments in order to make our stay more comfortable. So, naturally, it was not very long before I personally had to urinate.
A very respectful gentleman from the state police had come forward to negotiate, just as he had the day before at the meeting in the SBI offices. I asked him, jokingly, if he thought they would just let me in to pee. He said no and that “They were freaking out in there.”, but pointed out that there were portable toilets just beyond the fence in a nearby hotel construction site.
After a few minutes, I felt it calm enough at that moment - since all BP representatives, building security and police personnel were discussing the issue inside, (excluding the one member of the state police that, at that time, was sitting with us), I could go use the restroom quickly, and come back.
So, I did. I jumped the fence and used the facilities. Upon my return jump, I realized that the BP reps in the building had seen me go and went running to find me, perhaps thinking I had looked for an alternative route into the building.
And that they had taped me jumping the fence and notified the nearby construction site mangers of my trespassing. We believe that they had hoped that the other owners would have had me arrested for trespassing and kept the BP name out of the incident. You see, arresting and charging people for bringing to light their negligence and lack of response sort of blows that whole “making it right” image.
But, the people next door had no interest in arresting me, or anyone else. We have more allies than they, or even we, know - you see?
I then joined the others in sitting, which we continued for over all around 3 hours until a little after 8:00 pm, which is when - after negotiating tirelessly, and being very respectful with us all day, the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police gave us one more chance to end the protest and go home before arrests were made.
At that final refusal, NOLA PD, quietly came forth and arrested the 3 of us, who had remained seated.
Over the last year and nearly a half I have studied past movements that have worked on different levels. And thanks to those who have come before us, we have a general formula for affecting change.
According to Dr. King, mainly from his letters while he, himself, was sitting in an Alabama jail, he said that the progression includes the following:
- To find out if an injustice exists - without doubt we, the people of the Gulf, have been dealt with very unjustly with regards to this corporation and our governments handling of this event, as well as others across the Gulf.
- To negotiate - we, the residents, fishermen, clean-up workers, tourism industry workers, oil workers, community organizers, ect, have negotiated on the local, state and federal levels with the HHS, the CDC, the NOAA, the EPA, the GCERT, the CEQ, the DEQ, the Oil Spill Commission, the Administration, and BP itself for nearly 16 months - to little or no avail.
- Dr. King’s next step was to “self-purify” - each person must take this step alone. Personally, I had first interpreted this step as the ending of bad habits, such as social drinking. But on the walk I realized that he was talking about preparing your mind against egotistical illusions, self-doubt and self-pity.
- The last step is action. And in the successful civil rights movement, as well as the Eastern Indian movement for independence, that meant non-violent action and civil disobedience taken against the oppressors in order to advance the cause of, and bring to light the call for, justice and liberty.
Our being arrested, was just the first step of that last phase.
Now, while I was sitting there I had a good friend of mine, who is very sick from the toxins still in his system and our environment, say to me, “Cherri, it is not worth getting arrested.”. He was begging me not to take that final step. He did that, because he love me, and he did not wish to see me suffer, I understand that - and it warms my heart. But my response to him was, “My friend, you are so worth getting arrested for”.
You see that is what we all must understand. You, my friend, are worth it. Our ecosystem is worth it, our kids are worth it, our future is worth it.. We must understand the value of what we have and be determined in protection of that. We must take up responsibility to, and for, each other now, in these times. Because, we are all worth it.
As we sat there, we repeatedly looked across the crowd and saw testament to that notion; such as, the poster my 9-year-old had made of her depiction of Earth with pollution dotting it, and the eyes of the people who were sick from chemical poisoning and yet had still come out to take a stand, calloused hands of a fishermen, community organizers who we have all seen at events from Texas, to Florida, to D.C. - demanding, begging sometimes, to be heard on behalf of the communities and ecosystem that they love. And we saw grandmothers and grandfathers, daddies and mommies, and sisters and brothers, all united in the simple humanitarian right of clean air and water.
One person in particular, Kimberly Wolf, a warrior woman who I have had the honor of getting to know early on in this fight, and who also has terminal cancer, yet got out of her bed and joined us for as long as she could - strengthened our souls. She is the picture of strength and love in all of this - and in seeing her, I have never been so moved by an example of commitment and perseverance.
That is the epitome of what this event, and our arrest, was about. That there is hope, we have allegiance to each other, that the loss of one does not and will not end the journey of the whole for truth, justice and recompense of the human rights violations that are taking place in our homeland.
There are so many to thank for the success of the day. I would especially like to recognize Kyle Nugent and Noah Learned, who I had not met prior and yet went all the way on behalf of our people and coast. The people who helped in organizational duties, too many to name here - but in particular Karen S, Ada, Devin, Josh, Mary-Margaret, Anne, Elizabeth, Robert - there are so many. And including the people who were at the event(s) of last week, and/or are still working on this issue, or others like it.. you are all my heroes.
I would also like to make clear, that the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police Department were very kind in their treatment of us before, during and after our arrest. The first thing I was told after getting in the car was, “Why didn’t you just go home, Miss Cherri? None of us wanted to arrest you.”
They also took the handcuffs off as soon as we arrived at the station, and made sure we were as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.
So, there you have it.
I want you all to know, that we will not stop. We will not stop until our fishermen, our workers, our families, our wildlife, our waters, our region - are made whole again. Because when you love something, when you really do, you will never be silenced in protecting and fighting for it.
There will be further opportunities for those caring souls across the nation to stand with us for justice. Be ready.
You see, THAT is the greatest weapon in our tool box, that is what will win this and so many other battles we have been called to participate in, it’s our LOVE that will carry the day.
On August 4 we took our first stand. Courage, my friends, this is just a beginning.
Yours truly,
Cherri Foytlin
Friday, August 5, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
FROM TRISHA JAMES, HER LETTER AND THE RESPONSE RE: SEAFOOD SAFETY!
TRISHA'S LETTER:
To Whom it may Concern:
I have been researching fish consumption for the State of Florida and found your PDF file regarding subject 2011 Fish Consumption Advisories. While perusing the information I noticed that Gulf Shrimp and Oysters are not listed in this advisory. As you may well know, these two seafoods are highly common and consumed in our local restaurants. Do you have the information available for Gulf Shrimp and Oysters? I would like to know what the State of Florida Department of Health Guideline is for these, as well as crabs. Crabs are also not listed in your advisory.
On another note, I also noticed that the Florida DOH states that a meal consists of 160 grams. From reading Table 2 of your advisory I am to assume this only includes finfish unless stated otherwise.
I would like to redirect you to the FDA's website regarding the latest "Protocol for Interpretation and Use of Sensory Testing and Analytical Chemistry Results for Re-Opening Oil-Impacted Areas Closed to Seafood Harvesting due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill":
This article is contradictory to your latest advisory as the FDA specifies only 49 grams of finfish can be eaten daily. Unfortunately the FDA did not break down the seafood consumption as did the DOH specifying Children and Women of Childbearing Age.
Your response to the items addressed above would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Patricia James
Navarre Beach, Florida
THE RESPONSE:
Dear Ms. James
Thank you for contacting the Department of Health (DOH), Division of Environmental Health regarding fish consumption advice. Fish consumption advice for the state of Florida comes from many state agencies. DOH is mainly responsible for advising recreational fishermen about the effects of methylmercury. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) is responsible for commercial seafood that enters the interstate market (i.e. shrimp, crabs, oysters). Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is responsible for licensing commercial finfish. An interagency fish consumption group with members from each state agency adapted a fish wallet card for women of childbearing age which can be found on our website (http://doh.state.fl.us/floridafishadvice/PrintableWalletCard.pdf). In general, commonly eaten fish like shrimp, crabs and oysters are low in mercury.
The article that you mentioned on FDA’s website regarding seafood impacted during the oil spill applies only to that specific event. The chemicals of concern for that event were mainly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS). Certain exposure assumptions were made for that event alone. One such assumption was that the exposure duration would be at maximum five years. For DOH advisories, we assume that a person will eat fish for their entire lifetime (70 years). The FDA article also mentioned different consumption rates of fish (i.e. 49 grams/day for finfish). Again, this assumption was just for the Deepwater Horizon event. This consumption rate is higher than the average national consumption rate of 17.5 grams/day. For DOH advisories, we assume a consumption rate of 32 gram/day. The values in the FDA article were also intended as screening values. No weekly or monthly consumption advice was given like in the DOH advisories. For DOH advisories, we assume that an average meal is 8 ounces uncooked. We recommend that a person eats two average meals per week of fish.
Currently, DACS is testing fish from the Gulf that may have been impacted by the Deepwater Horizon event (http://www.freshfromflorida.com/fs/). So far no detectable levels of PAHs have been detected in any of the seafood from the Gulf. See a recent article on the subject of seafood after the Deepwater Horizon event http://www.guyharveymagazine.com/is-seafood-safe-to-eat-guy-harvey-magazine-spring-2011.php
I hope this information helps.
Kendra F. Goff, Ph.D.
Acting State Toxicologist
Division of Environmental Health
Bureau of Environmental Public Health Medicine
4052 Bald Cypress Way - Bin A08
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1712
(850) 245 4248 (Work)
(850) 408 9819 (Cell)
(850) 922 8473 (Fax)
Email: Kendra_Goff@doh.state.fl.us
Environmental Health is Core Public Health at Your Service!
Mission: Promote, protect and improve the health of all people in Florida.
Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
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