Still Yummy
On June 6, I wrote a blog posting about the importance of perception with respect to the safety of seafood harvested in the Gulf Coast. Today, The Economist asks “No mo’po’?” meaning “no more poor boys?” reflecting concerns about the fate of Gulf Coast oysters after the Deepwater Horizon spill. The po’boy, or poor boy, is a sandwich for which Louisiana is famous. My favorite is served at Brennan’s in New Orleans. Fresh oysters harvested from the Gulf Coast, which have a uniquely sweet flavor, are served in a sandwich made with French baguette breads. The taste is exquisite. The five Gulf Coast states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) harvest more than 20 million pounds of oysters annually, which sell on the market for about $60 million. Two-thirds of the oysters consumed in the U.S. come from the Gulf and while oysters are a less valuable harvest than shrimp, they are more difficult to replace. But the immediate concern, reports one fisheries owner quoted in the article, is the perception that the oysters are not safe to eat. Media reports of the oil spill have led consumers to shun Gulf Coast seafood, further compounding the economic losses. This is when small businesses in the Gulf Coast need us most; the seafood that has been harvested to date has been collected in areas unaffected by the spill and has been tested by authorities. And the Gulf shore is still a great place to take a vacation. I look forward to my next trip there.