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Something fishy
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Posted on Mar 08 2012
I often buy fresh katchu or yellowfin tuna at roadside stands in Susupe and Gualu Rai area. Many times the fishes are drenched in bloody water from the diluted ice and anyone can touch the fish in their ice chest container. I notice many times as well that day-old or two-day-old fish on sale are iced, but no one knows what the temperature reading is inside of the container. I do understand that the vendors of these roadside fish stands may have been cleared and properly certified by Public Health, but seeing any customer touching this food item in their container who is not a health-certified individual is a public nuisance and poses a health and food safety issue to the consumer.
This is just one issue, but the other significant matter is the weight and measure calibration of the scale used by these vendors. Because the fishes are submerged in water and ice, chances are the consumer is paying for the water and ice that come with the fish as they are taken out for weighing. Digital scales are more accurate than spring loaded scales. The consumers take things for granted, but 3 oz of water and ice is pretty substantial for a $3/lb fish. All consumers sympathize with the fishermen who risk their lives and resources going out to the deep ocean and distant places in open seas to catch the fish for us, but on the other hand, we all must pay fair prices for the goods that we pay for.
It is expected that Public Health’s health certification for vendors would ensure that the fishes in these roadside stands meet all health regulations, but at the same time, Revenue and Taxation should also keep up with the weights and measures of the scales used by the vendors. As a consumer that often buys from these roadside stands, I will not be complaining if I could see in plain view that all these vendors are cleared by Public Health, and Revenue and Taxation actually calibrates and certifies the accuracy of the scales used by these vendors.
Francisco R. Agulto
Chalan Kanoa, Saipan
