Mavis Hawa Koomson said it was important to ensure that any problems that may arise from the consumption of the fishes are addressed.
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture has pleaded with persons who consumed the dead fishes washed ashore at the Osu Beach to own up for medical checks.
Hawa Koomson ‘begs’ persons who consumed fishes washed ashore to own up
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She made the appeal when she engaged with the fishermen of the Osu community on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
File Photo
Pulse Ghana
“I want to use this opportunity to plead with the community – if anyone has taken or consumed the fish please own up, so we can address any problems that may arise out of the consumption,” the Minister said.
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“Please cooperate with us and own up, so we can monitor you to know your health situation. If there are some in the market, please let us withdraw them. We are doing our best to know what caused that situation.”
Over the weekend, the public was thrown into a state of panic after some dead fishes were washed ashore at the Osu Beach.
A similar incident was recorded at the Axim-Bewire beach in the Nzema East Municipality on Sunday, where over 80 melon-headed whales were washed ashore.
Meanwhile, the Fisheries Commission has disclosed that it has set up a probe into the cause of the incident.
The Commission said its preliminary investigations show that there are no injuries on the fishes that were washed ashore.
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“Information got to Fisheries Commission yesterday, April 3, 2021, in the evening, about fish mortalities sighted at the Osu Castle Beach. A team from the Fish Health Unit and the Fisheries Scientific Survey Division of the Fisheries Commission was dispatched to the area,” the statement said.
“Upon arrival at the beach the team noticed that there were dead small pelagic and demersal fishes at the shore.”
“Initial observation of the fishes showed no wound /lesions on their bodies. It is to be noted that after two to three days of death of an animal pathological signs change. Samples of the fish were collected on ice to be examined critically in the laboratory.”
The statement added: “Sea water samples have also been collected at the beach in the Korle Klottey District in the Greater Accra Region. Examinations will be carried out on the fish gills and other histological examinations will equally be conducted to ascertain any pathological cause.
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“The sea water samples collected will be analysed for physical, chemical and other biological parameters. The colour of the sea and temperature are normal. We assure everyone that we are working hard to ascertain the actual cause of mortality of the fish.”
