Fate of reject fish decided after tests

Press, 3 May 1984, Page 2

Fate of reject fish decided after tests

PA Nelson The final fate of fish products rejected for export late last week as a result of the recent rail dispute, should be known in 10 to 14 days. Eight containers of fish and one container of mussels from the Nelson region have been declared unfit for export by the Ministry of Fisheries after the rail loading dispute delayed them in Marlborough over Easter week-end. A Ministry spokesman in Wellington said that five containers of frozen fish fillets, mainly orange roughy, and three containers of tuna, as well as the container of mussels, had been rejected for export after preliminary tests indi-

cated they were a risk. Further tests would be done to determine exactly what effect the stoppage had on the containers of fish. These would be based on the information collated at the wharf and the history of the product, he said. Some of the tests required time and he said he expected it to take between 10 and 14 days before the final results were known and the final decision on the fate of each container made. “At this stage they have been rejected for export,” he said. Two of the containers of orange roughy, valued at $250,000, are owned by Sealord Products, Ltd, and two of tuna and one of orange roughy by Skeggs Foods, Ltd.