‘It’s still safe to eat fish,’ says Isaacs

Consumers of fish here are being advised by the local fisheries authorities that it is still safe to consume fish.{{more}}

This, after reports that large numbers of dead fish were discovered along the north-eastern coastline of the country last week.

Kris Isaacs, Fisheries Officer in charge of Biology and Research, told SEARCHLIGHT that up to last Friday, January 14, no testing had been done on the samples collected from areas including Owia, Langley Park and Rabacca, because the situation is being treated as a natural occurrence.

“You know these things happen every so often,” Isaacs explained.

“We are looking at it as a natural occurrence; as a one-off thing,” he continued.

Isaacs, however, contended that if there were any further occurrences, the tests will be done to ascertain the probable cause.

The Biology and Research Officer further stated that there was nothing to suggest that the fish died as a result of any unnatural occurrence, saying that quality assurance personnel had confirmed that there was nothing unusual about the appearance of the fish.

“There is nothing to indicate that, at the moment,” Isaacs said.

He further reassured fish lovers that the affected species included ‘porgy’, ‘grunt’ and ‘chub’, or what he described as reef fish.

“These are the three main species,” Isaacs said, adding that the species are consumed locally, but not on a commercial scale.

Junior ‘Coops’ Cato, Georgetown resident and avid fisher also confirmed the species of fish, saying that the fish identified were reef fish, although he said that among the carcasses snapper has been found.

He also told SEARCHLIGHT that the occurrence was nothing unusual and that there had been a similar occurrence a few years ago.

He further contended that there were fewer fish this time than the last.

According to Cato, residents made the discovery last Monday, January 10, when large numbers of fish were found washed up on the shore, but that there were no subsequent discoveries. (DD)