![Former Secretary Defends Fish Safety Testing After Oil Spill](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2012/04/Oil-Spill-Water-Getty.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Former Secretary Defends Fish Safety Testing After Oil Spill
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The former head of Louisiana's wildlife and fisheries department is defending seafood testing done after the Gulf oil spill.
Robert Barham pushed back against auditors' suggestions the work was shoddy, saying he has no question the seafood was tested thoroughly.
In a preliminary draft report, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office found insufficient sampling of fish and excessive spending in part of the $10.5 million seafood safety program overseen by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries when Barham was agency secretary.
Barham, now overseeing the Office of State Parks, said auditors didn't understand that testing plans changed as it became clearer how the oil was moving in the aftermath of the 2010 spill.
Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera says a final version of the audit should be released in November.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
More From News Talk 96.5 KPEL
![Louisiana Essentials You Can Find Cheap for Amazon Prime Day](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2024/07/attachment-Amazon-Prime-Day.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Here’s What Shoppers in Louisiana and Texas Need to Know About This Major Grocery Merger](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2022/10/attachment-GettyImages-81945762.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![TikTokers Have Strong Opinions About the I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles, Louisiana](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2023/01/attachment-I-10-Calcasieu-River-Bridge-google-street-view.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Truck Crashes Through Louisiana Convenience Store, Injuries Unknown](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2024/07/attachment-451428443_875361657961063_9009058308210370374_n.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Lafayette Police Seek Public’s Help in Identifying iPad Theft Suspect](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2024/07/attachment-Untitled-design-2024-07-15T194605.280.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Alleged Donald Trump Shooter Spotted Nearly 30 Minutes Before Shots Fired](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2024/07/attachment-GettyImages-2161431349.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![WATCH: Would This Viral ‘Texas Gumbo’ Pass a South Louisiana Inspection?](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2023/12/attachment-Texas-Gumbo-Pepper-Belly-Pete.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Donald Trump Has Made His Vice Presidential Pick](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2024/07/attachment-GettyImages-2159730000.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Earthquake Centered Near New York City Rattles Northeast](http://townsquare.media/site/36/files/2018/07/E4J7DD.jpg?w=980&q=75)