More ‘double dead’ fish seized in Pasay public markets

MANILA, Philippines—At least 80 kilograms of spoiled fish, popularly referred to as “double dead” fish, were confiscated during an inspection of public markets in Pasay City on Friday.

City veterinarian Dr. Ronaldo Bernasor led the market raid and reprimanded vendors at the public markets of Cartimar, Seaside Road and Sto. Niño found selling “bangus,” or milkfish, that city authorities believed came from fishponds affected by fishkills in Pangasinan and Taal Lake in Batangas.

On Thursday, they seized 100 kilos of double dead fish from the markets of Pasay City Mall, Malibay and Maricaban.

The veterinarian said the seized fish were donated to the Crocodile Park in Pasay City.

“Actually, that’s what crocodiles like. We have been donating ‘double-dead’ meat to the crocodile farm every time we have market raids,” said Bernasor.

Bernasor said vendors found selling contaminated meat will be reprimanded on their first offense but will face charges for violation of the Consumer Act of the Philippines and the Sanitation Code of the Philippines if caught again.

At the Crocodile Park, public affairs manager Virgil Pedo Jr. on Friday said that a total of 600 kilograms of bangus had reached the park since Thursday. They even had to reject 200 kg since they had nowhere to store them, he said.

Besides, the park’s Philippine saltwater crocodiles actually prefer meat to fish.

“It’s not that they’re choosy. It’s just not their first choice. When we left the fish for the crocs to eat, some of them didn’t touch it, while others took time to eat it. If it were pork or chicken, it would have been gone the moment we put it there,” Pedo said.

He said that crocodiles don’t mind eating double-dead meat—donations of which the park also receives—because their digestive tracts can handle the bacteria in the decomposing meat.

“Their blood have antimicrobial peptides. It’s their natural defense against the bacteria in the food that they eat,” Pedo said.

There are about 300 crocodiles in the farm, 65 full-grown adults, 100 juveniles and the rest are younglings or year-old crocodiles.

The park’s reptiles eat about 5 percent of their total body weight per week. The average adult crocodile weighs 50 kg and would feed on 2.5 kg of meat.