Durban residents warned against consuming fish caught along the coastline

At the start of sardine season in KwaZulu-Natal, environmentalists are warning Durban residents against consuming fish caught along the coastline. This follows reports of the harmful E.coli bacteria being detected in rivers and beaches. Several beaches in and around the city remain closed to bathers.

Co-ordinator of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, Desmond D’Sa says, “The fish is not edible, with the high levels of E-Coli people would get sick. The main health problems that they would experience would be a running tummy and a running stomach. So I would urge people not to eat any fish coming out of the Durban beach front unless it’s caught further north of Durban, in other words, somewhere around Richards Bay or Tugela, far away from the area that has been affected and also on the south coast.”

“I suggest they eat fish coming further down south from Park Rynie and other areas.”

AUDIO: Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo – As sardine season approaches, environmentalists are warning Durban residents against consuming any fish caught along the coastline.