Four tonnes of unsafe fish seized in Ajman

Vendors in the market in which four tonnes of bad fish was seized say they welcome more inspections.

AJMAN // Inspectors at Ajman fish market have confiscated and destroyed four tonnes of fish unfit for human consumption.

The consignment had been brought from another emirate by a seller who did not properly refrigerate it and was being dropped off for sale at about 6am on October 4.

The inspectors, Saeed Mohammed, the director of the fish market, and Abdullah Al Marzouqi, the director of the municipality's Food Control Department, confiscated the fish during a routine check. It was the biggest such seizure this year.

"Mornings could provide cover for some people to bring in bad fish to the market," said Obaid Al Hajri, the director of the municipality's Department of Public Health. "But our inspectors are working all the time, and no fish can enter the market without them ascertaining its safety."

"We are always having inspectors looking after what we sell," said Kumar, a fish merchant in the market. "Our customers should have assurance that they are taking the best fresh fish, as all bad fish is always impounded."

The key to safety is handling the fish properly and ensuring refrigeration during sale and transport, said Bahiyy Al Din, who often buys from the market.

"I have not personally had issues with this fish market, but I believe there is room for improvement in the way fish is handled here," he said. "Some vendors have fish for a long time in their stalls, not in refrigeration - that is not right."