Call for accountability over poisoned fish

MARSHALL ISLANDS – A Marshall Islands Senator says there needs to be accountability for the contamination of fish around Kwajalein Atoll that could threaten the major food source of thousands of people.

Fishing has been prohibited in areas around the US military base on the atoll, after US Army draft reports found health risks for fish there may exceed US standards.

People on islands around the atoll are also being advised not to take fish after toxins were found in fish on some islands.

Kwajalein Senator David Paul said the ban may need to be extended to the entire lagoon and the cost of finding a replacement food source would need to be assessed.

“The loss that we will endure when we take these drastic measures” was something he said needed to be considered.

“So these are the issues that we need to have a serious and indepth dialogue at the highest political level of government between the US and the RMI.”

Paul said initial findings indicated the contamination from pollutants including PCBs, led and chlordane was due to activities at the military base. - PNC