Deputy Prime Minister: Consumption of fish that have died abnormally is strictly prohibited.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has issued an urgent directive strictly prohibiting the consumption, collection, trading, and use of seafood that has died abnormally in Central Vietnam as food.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has just signed a directive strictly prohibiting the use, trading, and consumption of seafood that has died abnormally in coastal provinces from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien - Hue.

Samples were taken for analysis of toxins in the liver, intestines, and gills of fish that died unusually in central Vietnam.

The official dispatch stated that from June 6 to June 18, in the coastal areas of the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue, there was an unusual death of farmed and wild aquatic life. Some media outlets reported that people were illegally collecting and using the dead aquatic life.

To ensure environmental hygiene, food safety, and protect the health of the people, the Prime Minister requests the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Health, and the People's Committees of the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue to immediately implement the following tasks.

Firstly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development instructed the People's Committees of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue provinces to direct relevant agencies to promptly collect and dispose of all dead aquatic and marine life (including farmed and wild aquatic and marine life) to ensure no environmental pollution occurs; and to strengthen public awareness campaigns about food safety issues, guiding people not to consume products from dead aquatic and marine life. "The consumption, collection, transportation, trading, and use of dead aquatic and marine life as food for humans and feed for livestock and poultry are strictly prohibited," the directive stated.

Secondly, the Ministry of Health directs and guides the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue to instruct their functional and specialized units to immediately carry out inspections and checks of aquatic and marine products used as food for humans and as feed ingredients for livestock and poultry to ensure food safety.

According to The Laborer