THE Department of Fisheries (DOF) held a workshop in Yangon earlier this month aimed at urging those working in the fisheries sector to stop injecting fish with water to increase their size and weight.

“This activity not only harms the image of the country’s products but also harms the health of consumers,” U Khin Maung Aye, the director general of the department, said at the workshop, held October 9 at the Myanmar Fisheries Federation’s headquarters on Bayintnaung Road.

“This is a crucial time for the country’s fishery sector as the practice of injecting fish with water has slowly and quietly become more widespread,” said U Hla Win, the chairman of the Fish Information Service under the federation.

“Small-scale injections occurred in the past but now the market is bigger, which means the activity is occurring on a wider scale making the problem bigger,” he said.

He said those involved in the practice need to be educated about the harm it causes to Myanmar’s image and to human health, and severe penalties need to be imposed on those who break the law.

An announcement released by the department said fish are often injected with dirty water, which can cause the spread of bacteria and viruses that can damage the health of consumers.

The injection of water can also destroy the taste and quality of fish, making seafood a less attractive option for consumers in the long run, the announcement said.

U Than Lwin, the chairman of the Fish Farmers Association, had previously blamed the practice of injecting fish on brokers.

“We producers never do anything that would destroy the quality of our fish and jeopardise the market,” he said.