Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson today announced that BP will pay $20 million to the state over the next three years to help pay for more inspections of Gulf seafood to check for lingering effects of this summer's oil spill. Half of the money will also be spent on marketing to restore public confidence that the food is safe.
In a release, Bronson said the money "will go a long way toward assuring the safety of seafood harvested in Florida waters and in restoring consumer confidence in our seafood products." The agreement with BP says that the money could be extended another three years if fishing areas are closed because of oil spill contamiants.
Before the well was capped, Bronson asked for $59 million over 10 years. Today, he said is satisfied with the $20 million agreement.
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