they pour flood the ruptured well is hardening. but the work is not over. crews will don't drill two relief wells once they reach the pipeline within the next week or two they will pump for cement through the bottom. bottom kill operation will serve as an insurance policy. even then the disaster will be far from resolved. one federal official warns tar balls that actually wash ashore for years to come. other issue that will decide the recovery of the gulf is the seafood. how much is tainted. and how willing are americans to buy it? we are about to share answers as we go behind the scenes of the government's extensive testing process. here is the story from chad petri who is with wkrg out of mobile, alabama. >> reporter: what used to be known as the catch of the day is now the scientific sample of the day. this is one of more than a dozen boats bringing seafood for noaa to test. with a chain of custody form in hand, these fish are data, not dinner. >> chain of custody form because