Page 67 - Red Snapper News Today

Felipe cousteau is in louisiana tonight and joins me now. felipe, how bad an environmental disaster was this? now that we have had time to properly assess it? >> reporter: well, piers, the extent of the environmental damage is now just becoming apparent. just under a year, the scientists started understanding what was happening in the marsh. were beginning to scratch the surface. you have to understand that the impacts on the surface is different than the impacts at 5,000 feet down. wild we have...

We are beginning to scratch the surface. you have to understand that the impact on the surface is different than the impact at 5,000 feet down. while we have had fishery reports the red snapper is showing up with legions and compromised immune systems, we, of course, have had hundreds of sea turtles, dolphins and birds that have shown up dead. we still have of oil on the beaches. that is even more unknown at this point. >> where do you think it will end? you have had experience of similar disast...

Extent of the environmental damage is now just becoming apparent. just under a year, the scientists started understanding what was happening in the marsh. were beginning to scratch the surface. you have to understand that the impacts on the surface is different than the impacts at 5,000 feet down. wild we have had reports of red snapper with lesions showing up on them, we have had hundreds of sea turtles and dolphins, thousands of birds that have shown up dead. but whats happening at the surface...

Restaurants, half of all customers had unfavorable views of gulf seafood, despite government assurances. in this mississippi lab, government scientists test gulf fish from the spill zone for 12 hydrocarbons. known carcinogens found in oil. 10,000 fish tested here since last april, no red flags. >> we are not aware of even one piece of tainted seafood making it into the marketplace. >> these are severe bacterial infections. >> reporter: but jim cowans troubled by dozens of diseased red snapper se...

Still, the amounts measured are 5,000 times lower than those that can cause health damage, even in growing children. but for many, fear remains, and that can cause its own problems. >> we actually see health damage not from the radiation but from the fear of the radiation, and its very real. >> reporter: that level of concern is why a los angeles fish market that imports fish from japan is now sending samples to an arizona lab for radiation testing. >> bottom line, we want to make sure that our ...

Angle and outpost to look from is a huge, huge advantage. so were on the command vessel, as amber noted. about a 60-foot vessel, ice lady, as its called and usually a touring vessel to catch fish, red snapper. but its one of the vessels of opportunity. it is commanding the other vessels of opportunity involved in this skimming operation. about ten that were in charge. there are other sectors around the gulf doing the same thing. and a lot of the information fed in by that air ship up there. ther...

Executive director for the florida fish and wildlife conservation convention. nick, how is the fish? >> dylan, the fishing is awesome in florida. the fish are biting. red snapper season is in full swing in the northwest florida area. people are missing out if they dont come to florida. bring your dad. come fishing. come today. >> im thinking, my goodness, the gulf of mexico. im watching the news. ive seen the video cam too many times. im thinking, man, im not going down there. it looks toxic. wh...

Our economy is strengthened in order to hold us over into the wintertime. some of the accommodations, as i understand, in april were actually up 37%, but may dropped off about 18%. and june, july, and august is expected to drop about 30%. >> so, give me an idea. reassure people who you want to still come to destin, what will they see on the beaches if they were to come right now and water? >> pristine sugar-white beaches, crystal clear waters, some of the best fishing youve ever had in your life...

Concert t-shirts. that will be a collectors item. a ban on red snapper has u.s. anglers biting mad. today thousands of fishermen from around the country are trying to hook the attention of lawmakers with a protest today at the steps of the u.s. capital. the group, united we fish, is demanding changes to federal fishery laws that they say is killing jobs. speaking of fish, happy birthday to this actor. remember him? he played phil fish on the tv show barney miller. abe turned 90. they are try...

All right. president obama makes it clear, he is focused on helping small business as he pushes his jobs agenda. weve been following small business owners in the newsroom for months now. today lets update you on one who hoped coming clean would lead to big bucks. heres our brooke baldwin. >> it began with a goldfish in a bag. its the most popular today. >> reporter: the story start dws a goldfish, a bag and a bright idea, to sell novelty soaps. its an idea that this 47-year-old entrepreneur has ...