Expert approves ministry's fish health warning in central region Nguyen Tac An, vice head of Vietnam Marine Science and Technology Association, said he appreciated the Health Ministry's warning against seafood from central coast after mass fish deaths disaster. The Ministry of Health asked consumers to avoid seafood products caught from the seabed within 20 nautical miles along the central coast after the mass fish deaths caused by Formosa steel's project. The ministry said that only fish in the mid-water or those caught very far from the shore are considered safe.   Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long gave warning for fish in central region The warning has gained approval from the Associate Professor Nguyen Tac An, the deputy chairman of Vietnam Marine Science and Technology Association. However, An also said this would be a difficult time for fishermen as habits die hard. The equipment, technique and profits earned from seafood products in the mid-water and the seabed are very different. "Information that has a huge impact on people's health and lives should be announced as quickly as possible," he said. "Many people don't really know how far 20 nautical miles is and even the seafood around the polluted area shouldn't be used immediately." He suggested that government should have measures to support the fishermen catch fish elsewhere.   Seafood products that consumers advised against using "Young people can learn new jobs and government could offer old people suitable jobs," he said. An said with tropical weather and a diverse ecosystem, it would take from 10 to 15 years for the environment to recover and that was a long time for the fishermen. Repairing the damage caused by an environmental disaster is not only a long process but also complicated and the results may not be effective. Vietnam mostly depends on the sea to clean itself, people only help protect the biodiversity and aid the process. "We should invest into management activities and tighten control over waste discharges," he said. Dantrinews