BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

FISHMONGERS at the Gadong Fish Market assured the public that their products are free from the ‘red tide’ and safe for consumption because they are examined and cleaned properly.

The Department of Fisheries yesterday said that water surrounding the Champion Oil Field has tested positive for red tide.

Other areas such as Muara and Serasa are, however, still free from the phenomenon.

Red tide occurs when certain species of algae — plants found in the sea and freshwater — accumulate rapidly, leading to toxic effects on fish and other marine life.

This has prompted the Department of Fisheries to advice the public to remove the guts, gills, and other internal organs of fishes before cooking.

The Department further advised the public to abstain from consuming small fishes, molluscs and shellfishes because their gills, guts and other internal organs cannot be removed.

Hjh Intan Sarafina, a vendor at the Gadong Fish Market told The Brunei Times in a recent interview that they have ensured the safety of their customers by cleaning the fishes before displaying them at the market.

“People should not be scared, we have cleaned the fishes and we have taken out their stomachs as a precautionary measure. Our fishes are safe for people to eat because we will never sell anything that could harm others,” she said.

She highlighted that her business has been affected because her customers are worried about the red tide.

“Our business has been slow this past week but people shouldn’t be worried because our fishes are 100 per cent safe, clean and tested,” she said.

Goko Mahdi, another vendor at the fish market, said that the red tide has not affected his business because he assures his customers that his fishes are safe for consumption.

He explained that he too cleans and removes the internal organs of his fishes before they are put up for sale.

Fellow fishmonger Zakaria Hj Duraman said he was worried when news of the red tide first broke out but his fears were never realised.

“When I heard about the red tide days ago from the other vendors, it worried me that the fishes we caught might’ve been infected... but we’ve checked and cleaned them to make sure they are safe for our customers,” he said.

“Our supply is from Muara, our fishermen there looks out for any signs of the red tide to ensure that the fishes they catch are safe but so far, there hasn’t been any sighting, which is good,” he said.

The Brunei Times