Oil spill incident: Local fish remain safe for consumption, says SFA

SINGAPORE - Local fish farms are not affected by the oil spill incident on June 14 and local fish remain safe to eat, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

In a Facebook post on June 16, SFA said that there is low risk of the oil spill spreading to the Johor Strait, where Singapore’s fish farms are located.

“To date, none of our fish farms are affected by the oil spill, and our local fish remain safe for consumption,” said SFA, adding that it is in close contact with the farms and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The oil spill was a result of an incident on June 14 involving the Netherlands-flagged dredging boat Vox Maxima and the Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour, which was stationary, at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

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The impact created a rupture in one of the oil tanks of Marine Honour, which caused oil to leak into the sea.

In an update on June 16, Singapore agencies leading the charge in an oil spill clean-up said that the dredging boat that hit a bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal suffered a sudden loss of engine and steering control.

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It was also reported that no significant wildlife casualties were observed in the oil-slicked areas of St John’s and Lazarus islands on June 16, but conservationists say they are on alert for longer-term ramifications for nature as it could take time for the impacts of oil spills to manifest.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.