DESTIN — Wal-Mart is discontinuing the sale of fresh seafood in its Florida superstores, a Florida agriculture official told a panel looking into the economic impact of BP's massive oil spill on the state's economy.
The discount store giant is dropping fresh seafood products because of a decline in demand, Department of Agriculture marketing director Nelson Mongiovi told the state's Oil Spill Economic Recovery Task Force on Wednesday.
The decision was not related to the oil spill, but because the company did not did not see enough business in fresh seafood, Joaquin Gonzalez, Wal-Mart vice president for Florida told The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday. Wal-Mart, Florida's third largest grocery chain, still sells frozen seafood, he said.
But Bob Jones, executive director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association, acknowledged that higher prices for Gulf seafood and a drop in demand for the products since the massive oil leak began three months ago could explain Wal-Mart's decision.
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