Goa, Jan. 8 -- Fishermen from Caranzalem on Wednesday met the Deputy Director of Fisheries seeking urgent clarity over re ports claiming that fish caught off Caranzalem beach contain heavy metals, warning that the claims were already dam aging livelihoods and eroding public trust. Terming the reports false and misleading, fishermen under the banner of the Caranzalem Raponkar and Traditional Fish ermen Association demanded that experts from Goa Univer sity and scientists from the Na tional Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona Paula, issue an of ficial clarification within three days on whether the fish is safe for human consumption.

The fishermen alleged that vested interests from builder and hotel lobbies were influencing or selectively...