As cheaply-raised fish from China have come to occupy a larger part of the U.S. fish market, illegal chemicals, pollution, and unhealthy handling practices have also been exposed. Fish farmers routinely use chemicals, often illegally, to help fish survive in water that has been polluted by industry or global temperature changes. The Washington Post reports:
Perched above the banks of the catfish farm he owns is Zhu Zhiqiu’s secret weapon for breeding healthy fish: the medicine shed. Inside are iodine bottles, vitamin packets and Chinese herbal concoctions that he claims substitute for antibiotics.“It’s standard practice,” he said. “Everyone uses them to keep fish healthy.” [Full Text]
See also CDT coverage of the F.D.A.’s ban on seafood from China.
