The federal fact-finding mission continued Monday, as two members of the national commission on the BP oil spill made several stops in the New Orleans area.
Co-chair and former Florida U.S. Senator Bob Graham and Commissioner Terry Garcia had lunch with a group of seafood industry leaders at a downtown hotel. "One thing's that has become clear during the visit today and our earlier visit last month is the damage from the spill - as significant as that may have been - the perception of harm and the perception of damage maybe even greater and you're seeing that throughout the economy right now," said Garcia.
"The perception for some reason is that Louisiana seafood is tainted and consumers around the country won't buy it," said New Orleans restaurant owner Ralph Brennan. "That then impacts tourism because people believe that maybe New Orleans is a damaged brand and they won't come visit here."
The seafood leaders also explained how President Obama's deepwater drilling ban is effecting coastal fishing communities.
"These fishing communities are such a fragile balance," said Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board Executive Director Ewell Smith. "We are doing everything to get the markets back, alive for them at this point in time. The moratorium could put us at risk at losing our fishing communities."
Chairman Graham says the moratorium is not part of his panel's responsibility.
He says it's come up at all of his pubic hearings and he's already shared his opinion with the administration that the ban should be lifted on a rig by rig basis.
"I would and have urged the Department of Interior to focus its attention on specific safety issues, rig by rig and when they meet all those standards, give them a green light to get back in business," said Graham.
Senator Graham also likes the industry's idea that the U.S. Surgeon General officially declare Louisiana seafood safe to eat.
He also presented an idea on how this year's LSU-Florida football game could play a role in re-branding gulf seafood.
"I thought it would be a good thing if we could have a gulf cook off between Louisiana and Florida before that football game," said Graham. "It would get a lot of attention and it would focus the fact that we've got the best seafood in the world here and we ought to be eating it."
Chairman Graham says his commission is expected to hold additional public hearings in the New Orleans area.
The report on what led up to the BP spill and how to deal with the long-term consequences is due the second week in January.
