Legal crayfish seized – and returned rotten

A WILD Coast restaurant owner who had 97kg of legally purchased crayfish confiscated by sea fisheries officials just before the holiday season is up in arms after they were allegedly returned rotten.

Peter Woodford, who recently opened the Waterfront Restaurant in Port St Johns, said yesterday he had to obtain an order from the Mthatha High Court for sea fisheries officials to return the 272 East Coast lobster and the freezer they were in, confiscated during the raid early last month. He said the crayfish were returned rotten on December 21 – a week after the high court order.

“On opening the contents, the East Coast lobster failed two of the layman’s tests of freshness.”

Woodford said the first indication the R15 000 crayfish was rotten was the smell of the freezer. Another was that ink had leaked in the packaging and freezer.

He said the contents of the freezer were inspected within 30 minutes of his receiving the goods back, and that they had been sent for testing by health authorities as well as a private laboratory.

Attempts to obtain comment from Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries spokeswoman Palesa Mokomele proved fruitless yesterday.

Luzuko Buku, acting spokesman for Economic Development MEC Sakhumzi Somyo, said yesterday the matter was of serious concern.

The crayfish were seized by Sea Fisheries inspectors despite Woodford’s having receipts to prove he had bought them legally from exporters Live Fish Tanks in Mthatha.