The benefits of a laboratory analysis by the Kuala Lumpur Fisheries Biosecurity Centre in Port Dickson indicate that there are dangerous plants that cause clams to be contaminated and uncomfortable to eat.
Thin Aznan Abdullah, deputy director-general of control for the Department of Fisheries, claimed that the lakes were contaminated with biotoxins as well as the dangerous Prorocentrum, Alexandrium, and Pseudonitzschia plants species.
” The warm weather is also one of the reasons of this plants multiplying fast in the waters,” according to the report. Another marine life such as fish, shrimp, crabs, and so on are not affected by it.
At a press conference on Thursday ( Apr 4 ) that was also attended by the state Fisheries Department director Kasim Tawe, he said,” We advise the public not to eat these mussels within 20 days, we will take additional samples to be tested before confirming that the mussels here are safe to eat.
He stated that the department would keep monitoring with regular testing in accordance with the established protocol until biotoxins in the mussel contents are not found and the cell density in the water drops.
According to him, DOF is working with other law enforcement agencies in this district to prevent shellfish harvesting and selling. These include the Royal Malaysian Police and the marine police.
” In Pasir Panjang ( in Port Dickson district ), there are 40 registered mussel operators, including unregistered ones. The existing mussels in the waters are not required to be removed; instead, they will neutralize themselves, with the exception of the need to destroy the mussels that have been harvested and sold on the market, he said.
He claimed that there was no algae proliferation in the waters off Melaka and Johor, and that water samples were also taken.
One poisoning victim is still receiving treatment in Port Dickson Hospital’s intensive care unit ( ICU), according to Mr. Wan Aznan.
Following an alleged case of food poisoning resulting from the seafood, Negri Sembilan DOF was previously reported to have taken samples of mussels and water from the waters off Port Dickson.
Additionally, according to the state health department, there were eight cases of food poisoning related to mussels, with two of those cases being treated in the ICU, on regular wards ( 5 ), and inpatients ( 11 ).