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Efforts to promote the safety of Gulf seafood appear to be paying off. Federal officials have opened more Gulf waters to fishing, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, state and federal scientists have yet to find any contaminated seafood.

This Tallahassee fish market was doing a brisk noontime business. Steve Pincus was buying shrimp.

“I have no problem and no concerns with the shrimp,” Pincus said.

Carol Driggers has been buying fish here every week.  Leak or no leak, she believes it’s safer and fresher than any alternatives.

“We don’t eat a lot of meat because you never know how it’s processed and what they’ve fed it and what have you,” Driggers said.

Manager Matt McCreless says the key has been communicating with his customers, which includes posting a map of open and closed waters near the cash register.

“Most of the fishing we do is right up in this area,” McCreless said. “So that’s what we do, that’s what we promote. That’s what we show our customers to give them confidence.”

Across town, Gail Fisher’s market has also been busy. She credits extensive testing.

“Actually, it’s never been more tested than it is right now,” Fisher said. “It’s very, very safe.”

The first test that is performed on every fish that is landed is the smell test to make sure there’s no hydrocarbons.

Tissue Samples are also being analyzed at state and federal labs.

“We extract what is in the fish and determine what they hydrocarbon or oil content is, if any would be,” Terry McElroy, spokesperson for the Dept. of Agriculture.

Reporter: And there has been none?

“There has been none,” McElroy responded.

The state has also been on TV in the Panhandle promoting seafood safety

So, between the testing and the promotion, the industry is hoping to lure back customers who have shied away from fresh seafood.