In order to ensure that North Carolina seafood was safe to consume and contaminants contained in flood waters did not adversely affect seafood, the DMF collected samples of finfish, shrimp and crabs from 10 different coastal locations from the Albemarle Sound to the Cape Fear River. These samples were sent to the National Ocean Service's Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research in Charleston, South Carolina, to test for an array of 29 toxins, including heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides. Water quality samples were also collected at the same locations.

Both the tissue and water samples tested within normal limits, showing that finfish, shrimp and crabs are safe to consume.

The DMF will continue collecting tissue and water quality samples from the same locations throughout the month of October to ensure that N.C. seafood continues to be safe to harvest and consume.

Earlier this week, State Health Director Dennis McBride, gave the go ahead to open up most of the state's shellfish beds after extensive water quality sampling for bacteria, metals and pesticides showed it was safe to allow fishermen to harvest shellfish. Coastal waters were closed September 15, 1999, to the harvest of shellfish, because of the potential for high bacteria levels from stormwater runoff associated with Hurricane Floyd.

Return to Hurricane Floyd Page.