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Namibia's mussel production area shut down again

Xinhua, January 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

Mariculture farmers in Namibia are set to take a knock following a government decision to close the Walvis Bay Production Area for mussel harvesting.

Namibia's Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources on Monday said in a statement that mussel samples from the Walvis Bay Production Area were found to carry exorbitant levels of diarrhetic shellfish poison.

"Mussels grown in this area may not be harvested for direct human consumption, depuration or relaying, hence no farmer in this area is permitted to harvest mussels from this area," said Permanent Secretary of Fisheries Moses Maurihungirire.

Maurihungirire also issued a warning to the public that it is unsafe to collect mussels until further notice from the ministry.

In June and September last year, the local mussel industry was also dealt a blow when the ministry shut down all outlets that sell mussels and oysters harvested from the Walvis Bay and Swakopmund areas as they were deemed unfit for consumption due to poisoning. Enditem