Members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation say that the Federal Drug Administration has agreed to hold off on implementing new rules on the sale of raw oysters during summer months.
The FDA acted after meeting with fierce resistance from the oyster industry and Gulf Coast lawmakers.
Instead, the agency told lawmakers today it will put the proposal on hold while it studies ways to make consumption of raw oysters more safe, according to several lawmakers.
Critics said the plan could have killed a $500 million industry and thousands of jobs.
The ban would have prohibited sales of raw oysters from the Gulf for much of the year unless the shellfish were treated to destroy bacteria that kills about 15 people per year.
Mike Voisin with the Louisiana Oyster Task Force says this is good news for oyster harvesters, marketers, and seafood restaurants.
"You know, the oyster community is glad that FDA has brought back reason into the process of regulating raw oysters," Voisin said.
Listen to Voisin talk about how the new ruling will impact local oyster concerns:
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