Unloading Business At Fulton Fish Market May Draw Mafia's Attention

A former Giuliani official reportedly says a city plan to open up bidding on unloading licenses at the new Fulton Fish Market could be a boon for the mafia.

According to a report in Monday’s edition of the New York Post, the city is allowing operators of the market to bid on licenses to unload fish for the first time since 1995. That move is drawing criticism from former Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington, who was in charge of the market's cleanup under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Washington tells the paper he disagrees with taking open bids. He says most of the mafia's control of the market was conducted in the unloading process.

A single Long Island company has been in charge of unloading fish for the past 10 years. However, the Post says officials who back the new policy insist all potential bidders have been checked out, and that the mafia will not return to prominence.

The Fulton Fish Market moves from Lower Manhattan to Hunts Point in the Bronx later this month.