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Gulf Coast bouncing back

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    Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne talks tourism, recovery from BP oil spill

  • Duration 5:12
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I think that very few of us can ever forget and that is the gulf oil spill he can remember that devastating pictures speaking of our -- and some of the damage that was done in the cleanup and -- Not to mention tourism Louisiana in particular place and so many people.

Love to visit and for a period of time it just didn't look that inviting that.

Left the people they're very hard -- and lieutenant governor is joining me now from grand dial.

Louisiana what an honor to have these are.

Jamie good morning it's great to do -- it's a beautiful day and -- out kind of windy but this gorgeous.

Tell us look beautiful but edit and this spirit of Louisiana.

Cannot be dampened by anything.

This window because everybody came together and there was a lot of encouragement for folks to come back and enjoy all you have to.

But it was a hard time how is it now it is what two years later.

They'll tell your players is greatly improving you're correct we're we're -- wonderfully resilient people were used to battling hurricanes and and dealing with this bill we're celebrating our 200 anniversary incidentally this year 200 years of statehood so.

It's a great time to be in Louisiana and and we've recovered nicely but we still have some issues of the place where I sit right now -- -- -- as an example where.

Charter boat fishermen in marina operators and small business operators are still struggling our business is down about 30%.

With folks not coming to Louisiana to enjoy the great abundance of fish in the great quality of seafood that Louisiana has to offer and that's one of the areas -- we're seeking to address.

And how are you doing that.

Well obviously with an aggressive advertising campaign BP is made about thirty million dollars available to the state.

Another thirty million tires seafood promotion and marketing board -- We're certainly targeting a message to folks about the quality of Louisiana seafood and we're having an opportunity to visit with folks like you and -- and talk about.

Louisiana seafood and attack quality.

You know we've tested more than 300000.

Individual items of three of us seafood since the spill and all have passed with flying colors so.

We're dealing in large bar with some misperceptions that people have about the quality of Louisiana seafood.

Are you satisfied -- would be -- that you got from the federal government and also.

BP's.

Us at this point stepping up to the play in some ways have they done enough.

Well from a tourism standpoint.

They've done a very good job they've they've spent a lot of money in the Gulf Coast and of course this is in the context of mitigating.

Damages and in the context of litigation that is pending and but in terms of tourism they've done the right things and putting up money that we've been able to use to turn around our tourism and in fairly short order for example New Orleans head.

A banner year in 2010 and even greater year and 2011.

The remaining issues with -- BP that are going to be litigated in the courts.

There's ongoing discussions with the federal government the various layers of the federal bureaucracy that is dealing with the the aftermath of this bill but but by -- large we've made a very nice recovery were anxious to try and make certain that.

Come to the fishermen along the Louisiana coast the charter boat operators the marina operators returned to their police still levels were not quite there yet but we're getting there.

Were there ever visit Louisiana -- go ahead sir.

I'm -- just get I was gonna put in the plug for visit Louisiana coast dot com which is a website that people can visit tough to understand the great activities available on the coast.

And grand -- is not a bad place to start.

I want to ask you don't really doesn't some of the fishermen and fishing families really generations.

That have looked at this industry.

For their support -- for their future when -- number of them that have to give it up.

So to speak and were unable to return what are they doing.

Yeah there there are some who are no longer fishing and -- turned other occupations the return of drilling offshore is certainly an occupation a lot of people on the -- engaged in.

Most of these fishermen though as you point haven't been doing this for generations later they love the land and I love the water and I love the opportunity to take people -- and experience all the wonders of but Louisiana seafood in Louisiana coast and most of them.

Her sticking it out and hoping that the tide is gonna turn and things are gonna get better and and this is a very important to bring in some of forest to ensure that turnaround takes place.

Are you concerned about it ever happening again.

Well you're always concerned about what can happen we always concerned about.

Natural disaster you know we we fight off -- year after year after year it seems and well we hope that the safety measures that are put in place we're gonna prevent another accident like this from happening.

But you have to be prepared for whatever may happen were very resilient people we help -- have to go through this ever again.

And we look forward to the future of more than we concerned about what happened in the -- I will always thinking about -- today -- remembering how much your state has been through what an honor to speak to view lieutenant governor of Louisiana here.

Himself saying come on down here's the web site.

Visit Louisiana thank -- dot com why wouldn't you want to thank you thanks.

Thank you Jamie nice to -- you.

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