Taskforce deployed to probe Tema Shipyard strange fish deaths

A multi-agency task force has advised the public not to buy, collect or eat fish from the Tema Shipyard area after a sudden fish die-off triggered an emergency investigation.

The warning was issued by a team made up of the Food and Drugs Authority, the Fisheries Commission, the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.

According to a statement released on Thursday, 9 April, the incident first came to light in the early hours of 6 April, when security personnel reported a cluster of dead fish around the shipyard’s main unloading ramp. Officials said the affected zone covered an area of roughly 50 metres.

The site was quickly secured and a joint response was launched. Inspectors from the FDA, police officers and officials connected to Tema Port have since been working on the ground to determine what caused the deaths.

Authorities say the cause has not yet been established, but the matter is being treated as urgent. So far, they say there is no sign that the incident was the result of sabotage, and no evidence at this stage of a wider public health emergency.

As part of the investigation, between 60 and 80 fish samples have been taken, along with several water samples. Officials say all of them were collected under strict chain-of-custody procedures and are now undergoing priority laboratory testing to identify any contamination or environmental trigger.

Pending those results, the task force has issued interim public health guidance.

People are being told to avoid harvesting, buying or consuming fish and seafood from Tema Shipyard and surrounding areas until the FDA officially declares the area safe.

At the same time, authorities said fish sold through certified cold-chain markets outside the affected zone can still be eaten, as long as it is properly cooked to an internal temperature of at least 63 degrees Celsius.

The public has also been asked to report any further sightings of dead or distressed fish to the FDA hotline or the nearest FDA office.

Officials added that anyone who may already have eaten fish from the area and later develops symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness or skin irritation should seek immediate medical care and inform health workers of the possible exposure.

The task force says further updates will be released once more information becomes available and has urged the public to rely only on official channels as the investigation continues.