Parrot fish remains on the menu

The authorities in Jamaica have decided against instituting a ban on catching and eating parrot fish at this time.

The disclosure was made by head of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Peter Knight, during a sitting of parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee earlier this week.

Knight said the matter was discussed at length by NEPA, the Fisheries Division and the Natural Resources Conservation Authority and it was concluded that a ban was not necessary.

There has been a campaign for Jamaicans to stop eating parrot fish amid a decrease in the population of the fish and the implications for the marine environment.

Parrot fish eat algae that smother coral reefs and result in coral loss.