Bayelsa Warns On Dead Fishes From Atlantic Ocean

By Chuks Ekpeneru

The Bayelsa State Government has warned residents against the consumption of dead fishes washed ashore of the Atlantic Ocean coastline in the state.

Recently massive numbers of dead fishes floating near the shoreline across the Niger Delta have been deposited on the coastline by tidal waves.

The state government in a statement through the Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Environment, Mr. Warimapo Amatari, stated that consumption of the dead fishes was a threat to public health.

“People in the coastline communities are advised to henceforth refrain from collecting, processing, drying and eating the dead fishes as they are bound to be contaminated.

“The fishes appear to be contaminated by heavy metal compounds and sludge from preliminary observation and eating such fish can expose the people to cancer, kidney and liver diseases.

“So our advice is that the processing and drying of such fishes and transporting to Yenagoa, the state capital should be stopped pending the outcome of the investigation to ascertain the cause of the deaths of the fishes.

“The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with other government agencies are investigating the matter and in the interest of public health, we want the people to keep away from the dead fishes,” Amaitari said.

It will be recalled that residents along Koluama, Ekeni, Ezetu, Fishtown, Foropa, Sangana axis of the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa, had reported sighting dead fishes littering the shoreline, since the middle of March.

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