Governor Bentley Announces BP Seafood Marketing and Testing Grant

MONTGOMERY—.Governor Bentley announced today that BP has agreed to administer grant money to market and test Alabama seafood in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon accident last year. Under the agreement, BP will provide $9 million total with $5 million allocated for the marketing of seafood and $4 million for seafood testing.

 

“This agreement gives Alabama the funds to test and market Alabama seafood to the rest of the world,” said Governor Bentley. “Alabama seafood is important to the overall economy of Alabama. As vacationers return to the Gulf Coast for the Memorial Day weekend, I encourage them to eat some of the fresh seafood caught in Alabama waters.”

 

The funds will be administered by Program Administrator Chris Blankenship with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. 

“The program will be vital part of Alabama’s recovery efforts.  Fishing in Alabama affects so many aspects of the economy, from the recreational person on vacation to the commercial fishermen providing food for the rest of the country¸” said Blankenship. “It is an avenue for us to ensure everyone in the United States that Alabama seafood not only tastes great, but it is safe to eat.”

 

In March, Governor Bentley created the Seafood Marketing Commission.  That commission represents industries related directly and indirectly to the Alabama seafood industry and will develop and implement a seafood safety marketing program.  The appointed members of the commission are:  Jon Mason, Wayne Eldridge, Ben Fairey, Larry Fidel, Stan Wright, Chris Nelson, Pete Barber, Ernie Anderson, Gordy Wright, Buffy Donlon, Chris Hastings, Dr. Glenn Richey, Vinh Tran, and Pamela Henderson.

 

Ex-officio members of the committee include Gunter Guy, Conservation Commissioner; Lee Sentell, Alabama Tourism Office, State Representative Joe Faust, Baldwin County State Delegation; State Representative James Buskey with Mobile County State Delegation, Dr. Don Williamson, Alabama Department of Public Health Director; John McMillan, Agriculture and Industry Commissioner; and Angi Smith from the Governor’s Office.

 

The Seafood Testing Commission will consist of three members with one each coming from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Department of Public Health, and the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.  These three members will advise the Program Administrator with respect to the scope and testing of Alabama seafood.

 

“BP is very pleased to be working cooperatively with Governor Bentley and the state on this road from response to restoration," said Luke Keller, Vice President of BP America. "The agreement we have signed is further demonstration of BP’s commitment to economic and environmental restoration."