AVA: Why items were marked

Shaffiq Alkhatib The New Paper 26 Jan 14;

SINGAPORE- The mark was to identify loose items on the fish farms that may prove to be a safety hazard or end up as floating debris.

The figure is part of a unique identification number each farm has. That was what the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said when we contacted it to find out why its officers had spray-painted items on the fish farm.

An AVA spokesman said on Wednesday that in July last year, it conducted a briefing for offshore fish farmers to inform them that as part of its inspection, its officers will be visiting the farms to conduct inventory checks of loose or moveable items and structures. These included container drums, sofas, television sets and refrigerators.

Its spokesman added that any loose items or structures on farms would be marked for identification purposes and to ensure traceability.

These items tend to fall in the sea, forming unsightly floating debris. The marking will help the AVA know where they came from. The AVA recently changed the method of marking loose material.

UNIQUE FARM NUMBER

Now, the unique farm number will be stencilled on the loose items or structures.

It also said that under licensing conditions, farmers are required to ensure farms are clean, tidy and safe. It had received public complaints that items from coastal fish farms had been drifting in the sea or washed up ashore as litter.

The AVA also said it revoked the men's farming licence in October last year.

To date, the licences of six coastal fish farms have been revoked for very low to zero production.

Five of them, including the men's farm, were in a dilapidated condition and their partially collapsed and loose structures were a safety hazard to neighbouring farms and seafarers.

PRODUCTIVITY TARGET

The men's farm did not meet the productivity target of 17 tonnes of fish a year. There was "barely any fish farming activities" during its inspections, said the AVA.

It pointed out that the farm produced below its target between 2008 and last year.

The AVA's group director of its agri establishment regulation group, Dr Wong Hon Mun, said the minimum production of 17 tonnes per annum per 5,000 sq m of sea area has been a condition of licensing for more than 30 years.

The AVA added that for the past years, it has sent "numerous reminders" to the men to seek their compliance with licensing conditions.

Last year, it issued three reminder letters to them to take immediate action to rectify the situation.

The farm was given an ultimatum in June last year to produce at least 2.5 tonnes of fish in three months to show that the farm was seriously committed to active production.

The AVA said: "As there was no indication of active or improved production by the given deadline and the farm was continued to be left in a dilapidated condition, the AVA was left with no option other than to revoke (the farm's) licence."