Dangers of eating unidentified fish.

[Dr_Dan]

Taken from the Townsville Bulletin 15/08/2006


http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.a...E14787,00.html

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Man dies at stonefish barbecue
By JESSICA JOHNSTON
15aug06
A MAN has died suddenly in Bowen after eating a stonefish.

The 45-year-old man became ill rapidly after consuming the fish on Sunday afternoon, and died in hospital a short time later.

Bowen officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Inmon said the deceased man was a seasonal worker from Fiji.

It was believed he had spent several seasons working in the Bowen area.

Bowen Mayor Mike Brunker believed the man had eaten a stonefish, which he had caught off the town jetty.

Police were notifying the man's family yesterday, and his name had not been released.

Det Snr-Sgt Inmon said police believed the man had been poisoned by a toxin that exists naturally in the fish.

"Police believed the man was aware of the potential dangers of consuming this type of fish," Det Snr-Sgt Inmon said.

However, he filleted it and cooked it up for himself and two others at a barbecue on the Esplanade.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said the ambulance had been called to the Esplanade about 3pm.

"One man was displaying an altered level of consciousness and was complaining of chest pains," the spokesman said.

"He lost consciousness in the ambulance on the way to hospital and died shortly after arrival."

The spokesman said ambulance officers went back to the Esplanade following his death, to locate others who may have eaten the fish.

It was believed two other people had consumed the tainted flesh.

One man was taken to Bowen Hospital for observation, however he was not displaying any ill effects from consuming the fish. He was later released.

The other man could not be found.

Cr Brunker said the council would clean the barbecues to make sure there were no traces of the stonefish's venom.

Det Snr-Sgt Inmon said police had taken a sample of the fish, that had not been eaten, and it was undergoing testing.

Police could not confirm what type of fish the man had eaten yesterday.

However, Det Snr-Sgt Inmon said police believed the large fish had been caught in the Bowen area.

Det Snr-Sgt Inmon said the tragedy served as a timely warning for all fishermen, to double check the safety of their catch.

"If there is any doubt as to the safety of what you're about to consume, especially with inexperienced people or amateurs, get advice from other fishermen or fisheries," he said.

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[DICER]

I think this report is dubious. First heat is known destroys the stonefish toxin. Second the toxin is located in the dorsal spines which were filletted away. Third the other guy showed no effects of apparently consuming the barbeque fish. He did eat a fish, but for all we know he could of died from a stroke or heart attack.

[Jewmaster]

I thought it was a injury he would have received while filleting the fish, i get spiked when filitting from time to time, not stonefish though, they don't come in the boat.

[vanurose]

The whole report seems erroneous. One minute they say its a Stone Fish and the next the report says that the fish is unidentified. Which is it?
I wonder if we will ever find out the"quote" sent away for testing bit.
I also was under the impression that heat destroys poisons(that is why we place hot water on bites etc)
Can someone in the know clarify?
I would really like to learn what the fish reallywas. And to know that the only fish that man caught was a Stone Fish makes Bowen fishing for real fish a thing of the past.
Cheers
Rose

[wanttofish]

they were saying on the news this morning that a local fisherman gave it to him, the first report said he caught it, is that media for you, you would have to be pretty stupid to try it unless he didn't know it was a poisonious fish.

[Dirtysanchez]

In Brissy the Courier mail reported it as a toad fish, but stone fish would be 10 times worse, surely ?

You'd have to be crazy to eat something you aren't 100% sure about.
- A bit like ordering Bassa fillets from the local

[fartfish]

We ate quite alot of Stonefish while in Cairns for a holiday. The people we stayed with said they regularly consume it and as long as it is cooked well nothing goes wrong. It actually tastes really nice, I am surprised alot more people dont enjoy eating it?

[Fishslayer]

With the huge variety of fish/seafood in OZ i dont understand why anyone in their right mind would want to eat fish that are known to be poisonous, or risk being spiked by the fins while filleting them. I wont even allow red rock cod in the boat anymore, let alone a stonefish !!

[agnes_jack]

Sounds a bit strange, As Dicer said it is a heat labile protein based toxin and is only contained in the dorsal spines. More likely to be a toad fish or an unrelated problem such as a heart attak. Would be interesting to hear more of the story!!

Regards, Tony

[Dr_Dan]

Was confused as well guys. Seems a bit strange. If it was a stonefish, as has been said before, why did it not kill the other guys? Or why didn't they have any signs/symptoms? Nothing better to put ont he front page of the bulletin you think

Is a bit of a worry tho when you see reports on here or elsewhere "caught this unidentified fish, tasted alright". People wouldn't go eating an unknown berry off a tree (well i hope not anyho), but fish seem to be fine? Doesn't make much sense does it.

Dan

[nonibbles]

could the act of knowingly leaving a poisonous substance on a public eating facility be interpreted as a terrorist act? ( Just playing with paranoia )

[shaman]

Could it have been a toadfish??
A few years ago on the gold coast a woman died from eating a toadfish.
Apparently they have a poison gland and if you pierce it then the affected meat can be fatal. Maybe the fillet that this bloke consumed had
been tainted and the others may have been free of the reported toxin.
Asians often eat toadies and consider them to be a delicacy and if prepared properly obviously are not harmful....................Billy