Despite blacklisting in Europe, catfish imports have passed AVA tests
Huang Lijie Straits Times 8 Jan 11;
CATFISH lovers here can continue eating the succulent fish without worry.
This is despite Vietnamese catfish being recently blacklisted in Europe due to unsustainable farming practices and filthy breeding conditions.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), which oversees food safety issues here, has assured consumers that the catfish sold here is safe for consumption.
Most of Singapore's catfish supply - also known as pangasius or sutchi - comes from Vietnam, with additional imports from Malaysia and Myanmar.
An AVA spokesman said the agency regularly samples and tests all seafood for preservatives, drug residue and contaminants such as heavy metals. So far, catfish imports have tested safe.
In November last year, seafood buying guides produced by conservation organisation the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in European countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland placed Vietnam's catfish on its 'Don't Buy' list.
The reasons cited include claims that Vietnam's catfish farms release nutrients, medicines and pesticides into the surrounding rivers and lakes and pollute the environment. It also said that the catfish industry was at risk of disease outbreaks.
After a meeting with Vietnamese government officials and seafood industry representatives last month, WWF changed the categorisation for Vietnamese catfish to 'Moving Towards Certification', although it stands by its negative assessment.
Vietnamese catfish is not yet included in WWF's Singapore Seafood Guide.
WWF Singapore managing director Amy Ho said the exclusion is due to space constraints. She explained that the local guide is compact and lists only a selection of the most commonly found seafood in Singapore.
The fish, however, is popular among local diners. In 2009, catfish imports increased by almost 30 per cent over the previous year's figure to 15,800 tonnes, 19 per cent of total fish imports.
Demand for the fish remained strong last year, said supermarkets such as FairPrice and Cold Storage.
Seafood importers say catfish is popular here because it is cheap compared with other types of frozen fish fillets.
For example, halibut is priced at $18 a kg and red snapper at $16 a kg. Catfish, however, sells for about $7 a kg.
Restaurants also like to serve the fish because it is a tasty and versatile meat.
Chef Willin Low of the restaurants Relish and Wild Rocket said: 'Catfish is succulent and tender. It also has a very light taste, which works well to take in stronger flavours like that of sauces.'
Relish, in Bukit Timah Road, serves a dish of green curry catfish with black olive rice.
Sabai Fine Thai Cuisine, a restaurant with outlets at Customs House and Takashimaya, also serves deep-fried smoked catfish salad.
Artist manager Chan Boon Han, 46, who is a fan of the green curry catfish at Relish, said: 'Given how strict the local authorities are about food imports, I trust that the catfish sold here is safe to eat.'
