Agriculture ministry cautions against eating dead fish found along coast
By: Ketemba Tjipepa
The fisheries ministry is cautioning the public not to consume dead fish reported offshore and along the coastline, specifically at Henties Bay.
Ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, on Thursday said the ministry is treating the reports seriously but says it would be premature to speculate on the cause or extent of the fish deaths before scientific assessments are completed.
Muyunda said samples have been collected for analysis to determine the possible cause, the affected species and extent of the fish mortalities.
“At this stage, however, it would be premature to speculate on the cause or extent of the reported fish mortalities before the appropriate scientific assessments have been conducted. Samples were collected for scientific analysis to establish the possible underlying cause, species affected, and the extent of the mortalities,“ Muyunda said.
He said that the ministry is also engaging with relevant stakeholders and is monitoring the situation along the affected areas, however in the meantime advises the public not to consume the dead fish due to the possibility of health risks.
“We also want to encourage that members of the public, especially those that are in the coastal areas and where such incidences are happening, should not consume the meat or the fish that is involved in this incident for health risks. Also we want to inform or urge or appeal to members of the public to inform relevant authorities should they otherwise observe similar incidences elsewhere,“ Muyunda says.
The public is urged not to draw conclusions or circulate unverified information about the possible cause of the fish deaths, and wait for analysis results.
The Henties Bay municipality on Wednesday issued a statement warning residents not to consume or sell fish collected from the sea until further notice.
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