DOHA: Qatari authorities will be conducting laboratory tests on samples of rabbit fish (safi) collected from the sea near Doha and Al Khor to check heavy metal levels.
The move follows after reports appearing in a section of the local media earlier that some people had taken ill after eating Safi fish, raising doubts that they were ‘contaminated’ with heavy metals.
The fish samples will begin to be sent for laboratory tests to the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) from December 1, a joint statement issued by the SCH and the Ministry of Environment said.
Similar tests were conducted in 2010 on the samples of this very fish and low levels of zinc and lead were found, so the fish were fit for human consumption.
The SCH and the Ministry said doubts that the sea water near Al Khor was polluted with heavy metals due to the flow of affluents from the waste water treatment plant nearby were baseless. The statement said that those eating contaminated fish do not take ill suddenly as the impact is gradual, and asked people not to lend ears to rumours. The Peninsula
