Fish mongers buying fish from fishermen at various wharfs in the Western Area have accused the latter of pouring petrol on fish catch as a means of preserving while out in the sea.
Fatu Turay, a fish monger at Shellar River at Goderich in the Western Area Rural District, claimed that many fishermen who go to long distances to catch fish are in the habit of pouring petrol on their catch in order to preserve it. She added that when fish mongers subsequently buy from them the fish initially look fresh but will soon go bad.
“Sometimes you will smell the petrol on it, but when you question them they will deny it. They will tell you all sort of things to convince you that they are not pouring petrol on the fish catch,” she explained.
She told our reporter the alleged practice by fishermen was incurring them big loss as they are not guaranteed refund for damage to fish they buy from wharfs.
The fish monger said most times fishermen take along bags of ice so as to preserve the fish, but when the ice melt after many days out in the sea they pour petrol on the fish catch as preservative.
However, Paul Jackson, captain and owner of four fishing boats that have identical inscriptions “World Vision” at Shellar wharf in Goderich denied the accusation.
2016 allAfrica.com