Trained noses to sniff out Gulf seafood for oil

By BRIAN SKOLOFF Associated Press Writer

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - Some seafood inspectors working along the Gulf of Mexico are picking up a new skill to keep oil-tainted seafood from consumers.

They're being trained to use their noses to sniff out offending odors.

It's a daunting task to look over all the catch pulled in by thousands of fisherman across the four-state region.

The first line of defense began with closing a third of federal waters and hundreds more square-miles of state waters to fishing.

Now comes the nose, along with conventional lab tests. Federal official Brian Gorman says a trained nose is a highly efficient tool that has been used for centuries making wine, butter and cheese.

Gulf fishermen and seafood buyers say they can't sell a tainted product and it will be impossible for it to reach the market.