Ministry on oil spill: Fish safe to eat

Although the waters in the north western peninsula are still polluted following an oil spill, the Ministry of Health has assured that fish on sale in the north west is safe to eat.

A press release from the ministry yesterday said that officials visited 42 fish and seafood vendors to see how healthy were items being offered for sale.

Fishermen were also briefed on measures to provide safe seafood to the public.

The exercise was done in response to news of the oil spill which covered waters in the north west since last Saturday. The ministry warned that events like an oil spill could negatively affect the quality of seafood.

People were warned they should not buy fish if it has a disagreeable or oily smell, if it feels oily to the touch or if there are oily deposits on the surface of the item.

While the seafood was being vetted by the health ministry, two vessels were yesterday boarded and inspected as coastline, tourism and marine agencies try to get to the source of the pollution.

According to sources a team of officials which included the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) and the Chaguanas Development Authority (CDA), Coast Guard and Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago boarded the ships and searched them, then took samples from bilge tanks which will now be analysed to see if there is a match with the oil taken from the sea.

The team also inspected a partially sunken ship in Point Gourde.