"CIGUATERA" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

M

merenpleine

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 Feb 2006
Messages
144
Location
Afloat
Visit site
\"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

Hi I have just read on a website (Sailing Blog) about this problem this arises from larger reef fish Barracuda,Grouper etc., Not harmful to fish but not good news for us.. I have eaten from the various seas with no real problem..but having read this ...and about to depart for the carib, and was hoping to enjoy" Fruits De mer" I'm not so sure,anyone had experience of this or heard about it etc.,....?
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

Ciguatera does raise its ugly head from time to time. When I was last in the Bahamas a visiting relative of a cruiser had to be airlifted to Florida after contracting the ailment. Stick to fish less than 1kg or so and you should be OK. I can confirm that the very small threat from ciguatera does not prevent the vast majority of cruising sailors from enjoying the fruits de mer!
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

General rule in the Caribbean is not to take reef predators north of about Guadeloupe and to be wary of large ones (over 4' say) south of that.

Ciguatera is a real threat if uncommon. Can lead to simple nausea or loss of hair, vomiting and death. I've seen a couple of people with it who had eaten a barrie in Saba.

If I'm fishing north of Guadeloupe I'll only put the lines out in more than 25m so the fish I'm likely to catch will be ocean based.

Ciguatera is a kind of toxin that grows on coral and so gets into reef fish. Larger fish that predate on those build it up in their bodies cumulatively, hence the problem.

Caught a 40" barrie in Venezuela over Christmas and it was lovely - no problems.

As ever, if in doubt ask the locals. Ciguatera can be very localised - one part of the island OK, one dodgy.
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

When you catch a fish, clean it, cut a wee bit of flesh off and rub it on your gums, if they go numb, then the fish is likely dangerous, dump it. But I agree with all of the above posts as well.
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

It's not just a Carribbean problem. Roughly north of Townsville in QLD is generally considered to be at risk of Ciguatera. I believe you're generally safe with bottom feeders such as Mullet though - it's predatory fish which carry the toxins.
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

As I understand it CIGUATERA is a 'build up' poison. As a stranger to an area, where the fish have it, you are unlikely to become ill eating just one contaminated fish. It does however remain in the body and if you continue to eat contaminated fish then the poison will build up until it really does affect you. That is why the locals have to be so careful of course.
If I am wrong about the above please please post it - but I am pretty sure that is how it works.
Michael
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

Ciguatera is retained in the body of the fish and passes to other fish that eat it. The result is that it concentrates towards the top of the food chain. Hence the advice to avoid the big Barracuda.
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

You only need to worry about fish at the top-end of the food-chain in coral reef areas.

Raw fish allegedly more dangerous.

slight poisoning - lack of sensation around mouth, numb lips.

Acute poisoning, unusual, supresses all motor centres and affected needs to be got to an iron-lung to survive or just dies from supression of respiratory reflex.

Available antidote successful if caught early enough.
 
Re: \"CIGUATERA\" Food poisoning from fish Carib..

Michael - you are correct that it's a build-up toxin and subsequent episodes are likely to be worse. But it is fallacious to think that a first episode will always be mild. You can get it very bad first time if the fish is carrying a heavy load. So best to be cautious.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top