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Natick Board of Health approves conditional variance letting T‑Market eviscerate live fish and frogs
Summary
The Board granted T‑Market a conditional variance to eviscerate live fish and frogs on site at 1245 Worcester St., contingent on state approvals, weekly reporting for three months and oversight by the applicant; vote was unanimous.
The Town of Natick Board of Health voted April 6 to grant a conditional variance that will allow T‑Market, 1245 Worcester Street, to eviscerate live aquatic animals on site if state licensing requirements are met.
Representatives from T‑Market — including consultant Bon Koo and staff Jianan Jiang, Xiaomeng Liao and Jessica Jiang — described the proposed operation to the Board. Assistant Director Jessica Cliff summarized the process, saying fish would arrive from an approved dealer, be inspected on arrival, held in filtered tanks, chilled to 41°F and eviscerated after a maximum of five days; frogs would follow a similar workflow. The Board discussed the primary safety concern — botulism risk in viscera — and noted the State Sanitary Code provision cited for specialized processing (105 CMR 590.003).
Board member Donald J. Breda proposed conditions that the Board adopted: the variance is contingent on approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Division of Marine Fisheries; T‑Market must submit summarized, satisfactory weekly reports for three months; and Bon Koo must oversee the operation for at least three months. Director of Public Health Michael K. Boudreau told T‑Market representatives that any deviations from the written plan must be submitted to the Natick Health Department and reviewed before implementation.
Dr. Peter A. Delli Colli moved to grant the variance as framed by Mr. Breda; Mr. Breda seconded. The roll‑call vote was Sangrey, Breda, Delli Colli — yes, yes, yes.
Votes at a glance • Variance for on‑site evisceration at T‑Market (1245 Worcester St.): Granted unanimously; motion by Dr. Peter A. Delli Colli, second by Donald J. Breda; conditions require DPH and Division of Marine Fisheries approval, three months of weekly reporting, and on‑site oversight by the applicant. • Board reorganization (Chair: Karla H. Sangrey; Vice Chair: Peter A. Delli Colli; Clerk: Donald J. Breda): Approved by unanimous roll call. • Minutes (March 9, 2026): Approved unanimously. • Animal inspector nominations (Peter Cunningham; Michael K. Boudreau): Both appointed unanimously.
The Board recorded that T‑Market may need additional permitting from state agencies before beginning evisceration and reiterated that any plan changes must be submitted to Natick Health Department staff for review.
