The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with other State agencies have been engaged in investigating and addressing the matter of various species of fishes washed ashore on some beaches since Friday, 2nd April 2021. While laboratory investigations are ongoing, the Authority warns the general public to desist from consuming the fish washed ashore in view of the potential risk to health and safety
Meanwhile, to prevent the washed-ashore fish from entering into the food chain, FDA inspection teams have been dispatched to fish markets including the Osu Mandela market in the Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly. Our Western Regional Office has reported of sightings of dolphins washed ashore on some of the beaches and samples have also been taken for laboratory analysis. In these regions, the Authority has intensified its public education and sensitization on quality parameters and signs of contamination of fish in the fishing communities and fish markets. FDA regional offices along the coastline in the Central and Volta regions have also been alerted and are replicating similar efforts in towns along the coast.
In this regard, the general public is cautioned to be guided by the freshness of the eyes and redness of the gills of fish that they seek to purchase. The washed-ashore fish typically show signs of popped out and unclear eyes, dull colouration of gills, bloating around the abdominal areas and/or possible oozing of foul scented fluids.
The public is hereby advised to report all suspected cases of possession or selling of these washed-ashore fishes to the FDA or local authorities. The consuming public is also cautioned to be wary of both fresh and recently smoked fish which are being sold at unusually low prices.
