The NOAA Seafood Inspection Program has a long history of supporting emergency responses to oil spills, helping protect public health and maintain confidence in seafood safety. From the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, our seafood sensory analysts have played a vital role. They evaluate seafood safety, conduct sensory testing, and provide training. Fifteen years after Deepwater Horizon, our program remains essential in upholding trust in the safety and quality of seafood worldwide.
How NOAA Tests Seafood for Oil Contamination
Over time, we have enhanced how we check seafood for oil contamination. One of the main methods used now is sensory analysis, where trained experts smell and taste seafood to detect petroleum-related odors and flavors.
Highly Sensitive
Trained human testers can detect oil contamination at extremely low levels—sometimes even better than chemical tests. Studies show that trained experts can notice petroleum taint in seafood at just 10 parts per million of certain harmful compounds. This helps ensure seafood is safe for consumers.
Fast and Efficient
Sensory analysis allows experts to quickly determine whether seafood is safe, helping authorities decide when to close or reopen fishing areas. Since sensory analysis requires little equipment, it can be easily expanded for large oil spills. This makes it possible to assess more areas, frequently, and use resources efficiently during environmental emergencies. This helps ensure seafood is safe for consumption.
By using this reliable and efficient approach, NOAA helps keep seafood safe and maintains public confidence in the seafood industry.
How NOAA Is Improving Seafood Safety After Oil Spills
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to major advancements in how NOAA responds to environmental disasters. NOAA SIP quickly refined its methods to check seafood safety in real time to meet urgent needs. By training state and industry partners, a faster more efficient system to assess seafood contamination during emergencies was established.
Ongoing Efforts to Keep Seafood Safe
Updating Inspection Procedures
In December 2024, we introduced the first major rule changes since 1971, aiming to streamline administrative and inspection processes. These updates help teams quickly assess seafood safety during oil spills, reducing delays in response efforts.
Strengthening Industry Partnerships
We are working closely with federal agencies, state authorities, and the seafood industry to support NOAA’s National Seafood Strategy, which aims to strengthen industry resilience and competitiveness. This collaborative approach works to promote and protect seafood safety in future environmental crises.
Through modernization and innovation, we continue to improve its seafood safety measures, ensuring a quick and effective response to future oil spills.
International Collaboration
Since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago, we have continued to extend our expertise globally, helping other countries protect seafood from oil spill contamination.
In early 2022, a tanker accident off the coast of Lima, Peru, spilled nearly 12,000 barrels of crude oil. It affected about 44 square miles of ocean and contaminated local fisheries. The Peruvian government reached out to NOAA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for help. Agency experts trained Peru’s National Fisheries Health Organization on how to detect petroleum contamination in seafood using sensory analysis techniques. This training improved Peru’s ability to ensure seafood safety after the spill.
The Deepwater Horizon disaster served as preparation for this international collaboration. The tools, training, and methods developed during that crisis helped us to swiftly apply its expertise to meet Peru’s needs.
Protecting Seafood, Strengthening Resilience
The NOAA Seafood Inspection Program plays a vital role in keeping seafood safe after environmental disasters. By leveraging sensory analysis, building strong partnerships, and ongoing modernization initiatives, we continue to protect public health and support the seafood industry worldwide. The lessons learned from Deepwater Horizon continue to shape and strengthen these efforts.
