As the sardine season begins in KwaZulul-Natal, environmentalists have warned Durban residents against eating fish which was caught along the coastline for the possible E.coli that has been detected.
The warning comes after reports of harmful E.coli bacteria which has been detected in rivers and beaches. Multiple beaches still remain closed to the public as a result of E.coli reports in the water.
Desmond D’Sa the coordinator of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance commented on the impact that E.coli could have on fish that are on the coastline. He waned of serious health problems that people who consume the contaminated fish along the coastline could have.
D’Sa said: “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.”
It was previously reported that Sardine fever hit KwaZulu-Natal on Friday, 17 June with hundreds of people making their way to the beaches in Margate to witness the first shoal of sardines being hauled in. The run which often sees millions of sardines moving along the province’s coast in KwaZulu-Natal usually takes place between May and July.
