Jindal wants BP to pay for seafood monitoring

GULF OF MEXICO — Gov. Bobby Jindal wants a $173-million program — paid for by BP PLC — to monitor the safety and quality of Louisiana seafood for the next five years.

The program also would provide marketing funds to promote the state’s seafood to consumers.

During a news conference yesterday, Jindal says that unless such a plan is implemented quickly, there will be long-running damage to fishermen, seafood processors and restaurants.

If the program doesn’t achieve certain standards within five years, BP would renew it for three years at a time.

The governor also said that BP has agreed to pay $13 million for state wildlife and fisheries officials to monitor how and if the spill is affecting fisheries.