Don't eat dead or dying herring washing up off Digby, warns CFIA

Don't eat dead or dying herring washing up nearDigby, N.S., warnsthe Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

In late November, thousands of herring began washing up on some beaches on along the Bay of Fundy near Digby.

Local resident Charles Thibodeau saidhe knows a few people who have been collecting the dying fish and eating them.

"Some are just barely flippin' and people are gathering them up and eating the things," he told CBC's Information Morning.

"I know of two personally. I can imagine there's quite a few because herring is a good fish to eat and these ones on the beach are about seven or eight inches long and they look pretty good for the frying pan."

TheCFIAis warning people not to eat those fish since it's not clear how they died.

"Dead or dying herring found on shore should not be collected, consumed or used by the public for any reason, as a variety of factors could affect the food safety of fish, such as toxins, diseases or environmental contaminants," the agency said in astatement.

Cause of herring deaths unknown

Despite a variety of tests performed on the fish, it's not clear what is causing the phenomenon.

"Based on the testing that we've done to date, we haven't determined any indications of infections or infectious agents," said Doug Wentzell, regional director general for DFO on Wednesday.

Wentzell said there is also no evidence to indicate toxins are responsible.

On Boxing Dayscoresof dead herring, starfish, lobster, bar clams, crabs and scallopsblanketed abeach below Savary Park in Plympton, N.S, adding to the mystery. Plympton is about 20 kilometres south of Digby.

Earlier this month, DFO also tweeted a warning to people not to eat the dead or dying fish washing ashore.

"Consumers should only purchase from licensed harvesters/sellers."