Toxic chemicals force fishing ban

Toxic chemicals force fishing ban

SINGAPORE (DPA): Traces of a toxic chemical in fish a week
after the collision of two vessels south of Singapore prompted
officials on Friday to extend their ban on catching and selling
despite the mounting losses to fish farmers.

The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) dispatched boats
to the area near 25 floating fish farms to make sure the
prohibition is not violated.

The collision of an Indonesian tanker with a Dutch-registered
dredger on Aug. 4 resulted in the spillage of 230 tons of phenol
into the sea.

The AVA said in a statement the toxic chemical used as an
industrial disinfectant was found at a level of nine parts per
billion in the guts of fish sampled. A tolerable level of phenol
in fish is 0.5 parts per billion.

One farmer said the ban has cost his company S$10,000
(US$6,000) so far.