Spanish Mackerel , safe size to eat in far north east QLD ?

[GLXMAN]

Hi Guys
They were getting very long last year, what is the safe length?
Hate to get the ciguatera
..........Gary

[shaungonemad]

Obviously the larger ones can be higher risk but I have heard of plenty of people eating them well over 15kg without issue.


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[tropicrows]

I've caught very few of these speedsters, but I've always been under the impression the location in which they were caught is just as important as the size.
I believe Hervey bay is bad for it and fish over 10kg should not be eaten, while further north at 1770 it's not so much of a problem.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that what I've been told in the past.

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[robsue]

from what i have heard in the past, give some to a cat, if they wont touch it you dont either ....if they eat it then it is safe for you to do so

[RayLamp]

from what i have heard in the past, give some to a cat, if they wont touch it you dont either ....if they eat it then it is safe for you to do so

Apparently that works with ants too.

[Moonlighter]

Seafood markets generally wont accept spanish larger than 10kgs from pro fishers due to increased risk over that size.

Caught a 20+ kg model the week before Christmas, no dramas. Fed 4 families.

Know a guy who regularly catches and eats them bigger than that. Maybe he is using up his luck, who knows!

Anyway, will be doing my best tomorrow to nail another big one.

[RayLamp]

I think ciguatera is accumulative, so you might not get symptoms straight away. However over the years you might start feeling the effects. The toxin is accumulative in the host and I think with whoever eats the host.

[GLXMAN]

Tks for all the replies guys
Still a bit of "Russian Roulette" it appears
back to Lucinda for another scientific test May-Sept
..........Gary

[Red October]

There has just been a case of cigutera poisoning reported today at Evans Head, NSW. Apparently the fisho's and family consumed a spanish of about 15KG they caught on the weekend. Need to be very careful with these larger fish even down here. I am just waiting to see the reaction from the global warming mob now, gotta be caused by that.

[The Mad Cat]

Have a read of this, the last bit of Ryan describing how it knocked him around confirms it is to be taken serioulsy.
https://www.ryanmoodyfishing.com/how-to-avoid-ciguatera-poisoning

We try to mix our fish after we have sliced the fillets into pieces, working on the theory that you would be really unlucky to have 2 or more fish that have enough of the toxins to cause you grief. I hope we are right.

TMC

[Bremic]

Have a read of this, the last bit of Ryan describing how it knocked him around confirms it is to be taken serioulsy.
https://www.ryanmoodyfishing.com/how-to-avoid-ciguatera-poisoning

We try to mix our fish after we have sliced the fillets into pieces, working on the theory that you would be really unlucky to have 2 or more fish that have enough of the toxins to cause you grief. I hope we are right.

TMC

The thing is, it is a cumulative poison. You eat a bit today, no worries, have a bit in a few days, no worries, have a bit more in a few days and WHAMO.

It was many years ago now, but a member from this forum, and his family copped a dose, the description of his and families suffering sounded like something best avoided.

[GLXMAN]

Scary stuff TMC
Fortunately, haven't heard of any in the park with a problem yet!

[EdBerg]

It seems Hervey Bay is a hot spot for it, I got a dose of Ciguatera in 1999, it was not a pleasant experience, came from a Queenfish caught in that area, had most of the symptoms and some of the symptoms lasted a long time (months). I don't think I left the toilet for more than 10 - 20 minutes for the first 2 days.

[tropicrows]

The thing is, it is a cumulative poison. You eat a bit today, no worries, have a bit in a few days, no worries, have a bit more in a few days and WHAMO.

It was many years ago now, but a member from this forum, and his family copped a dose, the description of his and families suffering sounded like something best avoided.

I remember that story, they all woke up early in the morning thinking they were going to die, all ended up in the emergency ward.

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[disorderly]

I think ciguatera is accumulative, so you might not get symptoms straight away. However over the years you might start feeling the effects. The toxin is accumulative in the host and I think with whoever eats the host.

I think you are right....we have been eating them nearly weekly for the past 17 years and over the past year or so I often get the shits and get very itchy in the throat after a feed of Spanish ..when I first started feeling it I thought I was getting bones caught in my throat as the back of my throat became very itchy and put the shits down to drinking our creek water........I also have felt a little unwell during the night...sweating and up and down from bed with the shits during the night...

Most that we have eaten range from 6-12 kg with some around 15 and only very few 18-20kg..

Think I will just start eating smaller mixed reef fish instead and barter off the Spanish....

I got a couple of smaller ones on the weekend jigging on a wreck....Wwoofer Frankie from Utah was most impressed by their chompers…

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