spines on the back have a large venom sac on each side. This
is the most venomous fish in the sea, and, due to its thick
warty skin and sedentary habits, it is easily mistaken for a
lump of coral rock. When tramped on, the skin surrounding
the spines presses the venom sacs and the venom is injected
by means of the needle-sharp syringe-like spines.
Stings. Here bluebottles, or Portugese-man-of-war, and
jellyfishes are the main culprits. For both, use meat tenderiser on the weal (and stinging tentacles if still attached)
and wash in with water (sea water will suffice). The meat
tenderiser, being an enzyme that breaks down protein, not
only denatures the venom in the victim but also destroys the
venom in the stinging cells that have not discharged. Do not
use alcohol (spirits) of any kind for it merely discharges the
remaining stinging cells into the victim. Vinegar is sometimes used but while it destroys the undischarged cells, it apparently has no effect on the venom already in the victim.
The meat tenderiser attacks both, and the pain disappears
immediately.
It has been suggested that ice applied to the weals (if the
meat tenderiser was not used) and an antihistamine injection assists in healing. Many people take a small tin of meat
tenderiser with them and have found the application of this
simple remedy 100 per cent effective, not only with sea
animal stings, but with bee and hornet stings. It makes
sense!
Poisonous creatures. The difference between venom and
poison is: venom is a toxin introduced into the muscle and
THE EFFECT OF FISHING
bloodstream by a wound (bite or sting), causing pain and, in
some cases, death; poison is a toxin that is eaten causing
stomach or intestinal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and, in
some cases, death.
Southern Africa is fortunate in that it is a subcontinent
where ciguatera poisoning is not known. This poisoning results from eating fish normally considered wholesome but
which have become poisonous due to their feeding on certain toxic dinoflagellates or on animals that have fed on
these toxic micro-organisms. It is known in the Seychelles
and Mauritius, and is very common in the Pacific islands.
The only group of fishes in our area that should not be eaten
are those belonging to the Order Tetraodontiformes
(Families Nos. 263 to 270). Eating blaasops (Family Tetraodontidae, No. 268) often can be fatal. In Port Elizabeth,
practically a whole family was wiped out by eating one of
these fish picked up on the beach. Though the poison is normally not in the muscles but in the skin and viscera, it is unwise to eat any of the fish. Despite the various precautions
taken in northern Mozambique, where the Macua people
eat these fish, people still die from eating blaasops!
The liver of the red steenbras, and probably tunas and
some sharks, should be avoided because, like the livers of
the seal and the polar bear, they have a very high vitamin A
content. Eating the livers results in hypervitaminosis, and
the poisoning due to excess vitamin A causes considerable
nausea, stomach cramps and loss of skin and hair. It is
stated that it can be fatal, but there is not an authenticated
case of death in our area.
The effect of fishing
Records kept meticulously by the Natal North Coast
Angling Club for a number of years showed conclusively that
fewer and smaller elf (Pomatomus saltatrix) were being
caught in their fortnightly competitions. The anglers
realised that the elf were in need of protection, and asked
for some sort of control on the catching of these fish. A commission of inquiry called the Smith Committee was appointed in 1980 to look into the matter. The Committee recommended that catching of elf be prohibited during their
breeding season from September to November; that during
the rest of the year there should be a daily bag limit of four
fish per angler, and that the sale of elf be completely prohibited. Thanks to the strict enforcement of regulations based
on the Smith Committee's recommendations, more large
elf are now being caught, and the populations along our entire coast have increased.
.
Protection like the elf regulations is necessary for many of
our angling fishes. Scientists are monitoring the catches and
investigating the biology of a number of our angling species.
Some sort of bag limit is necessary to stop the decline in the
populations of angling fishes in our area. It may also be
beneficial to establish marine reserves along our coast where
fishes can live and breed in relative safety. Breeding populations in these areas where fishing is prohibited may be
able to produce sufficient young to repopulate the exploited
areas.
Commercial fishes are also in need of protection - witness
the marked decliQe in the catches of many of our commercial species in the past few years. Enforcement of laws to
protect commercially important fishes is not easy, particularly when foreign vessels may be exploiting the same stocks
caught by our South African fishermen.
19
is the most venomous fish in the sea, and, due to its thick
warty skin and sedentary habits, it is easily mistaken for a
lump of coral rock. When tramped on, the skin surrounding
the spines presses the venom sacs and the venom is injected
by means of the needle-sharp syringe-like spines.
Stings. Here bluebottles, or Portugese-man-of-war, and
jellyfishes are the main culprits. For both, use meat tenderiser on the weal (and stinging tentacles if still attached)
and wash in with water (sea water will suffice). The meat
tenderiser, being an enzyme that breaks down protein, not
only denatures the venom in the victim but also destroys the
venom in the stinging cells that have not discharged. Do not
use alcohol (spirits) of any kind for it merely discharges the
remaining stinging cells into the victim. Vinegar is sometimes used but while it destroys the undischarged cells, it apparently has no effect on the venom already in the victim.
The meat tenderiser attacks both, and the pain disappears
immediately.
It has been suggested that ice applied to the weals (if the
meat tenderiser was not used) and an antihistamine injection assists in healing. Many people take a small tin of meat
tenderiser with them and have found the application of this
simple remedy 100 per cent effective, not only with sea
animal stings, but with bee and hornet stings. It makes
sense!
Poisonous creatures. The difference between venom and
poison is: venom is a toxin introduced into the muscle and
THE EFFECT OF FISHING
bloodstream by a wound (bite or sting), causing pain and, in
some cases, death; poison is a toxin that is eaten causing
stomach or intestinal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and, in
some cases, death.
Southern Africa is fortunate in that it is a subcontinent
where ciguatera poisoning is not known. This poisoning results from eating fish normally considered wholesome but
which have become poisonous due to their feeding on certain toxic dinoflagellates or on animals that have fed on
these toxic micro-organisms. It is known in the Seychelles
and Mauritius, and is very common in the Pacific islands.
The only group of fishes in our area that should not be eaten
are those belonging to the Order Tetraodontiformes
(Families Nos. 263 to 270). Eating blaasops (Family Tetraodontidae, No. 268) often can be fatal. In Port Elizabeth,
practically a whole family was wiped out by eating one of
these fish picked up on the beach. Though the poison is normally not in the muscles but in the skin and viscera, it is unwise to eat any of the fish. Despite the various precautions
taken in northern Mozambique, where the Macua people
eat these fish, people still die from eating blaasops!
The liver of the red steenbras, and probably tunas and
some sharks, should be avoided because, like the livers of
the seal and the polar bear, they have a very high vitamin A
content. Eating the livers results in hypervitaminosis, and
the poisoning due to excess vitamin A causes considerable
nausea, stomach cramps and loss of skin and hair. It is
stated that it can be fatal, but there is not an authenticated
case of death in our area.
The effect of fishing
Records kept meticulously by the Natal North Coast
Angling Club for a number of years showed conclusively that
fewer and smaller elf (Pomatomus saltatrix) were being
caught in their fortnightly competitions. The anglers
realised that the elf were in need of protection, and asked
for some sort of control on the catching of these fish. A commission of inquiry called the Smith Committee was appointed in 1980 to look into the matter. The Committee recommended that catching of elf be prohibited during their
breeding season from September to November; that during
the rest of the year there should be a daily bag limit of four
fish per angler, and that the sale of elf be completely prohibited. Thanks to the strict enforcement of regulations based
on the Smith Committee's recommendations, more large
elf are now being caught, and the populations along our entire coast have increased.
.
Protection like the elf regulations is necessary for many of
our angling fishes. Scientists are monitoring the catches and
investigating the biology of a number of our angling species.
Some sort of bag limit is necessary to stop the decline in the
populations of angling fishes in our area. It may also be
beneficial to establish marine reserves along our coast where
fishes can live and breed in relative safety. Breeding populations in these areas where fishing is prohibited may be
able to produce sufficient young to repopulate the exploited
areas.
Commercial fishes are also in need of protection - witness
the marked decliQe in the catches of many of our commercial species in the past few years. Enforcement of laws to
protect commercially important fishes is not easy, particularly when foreign vessels may be exploiting the same stocks
caught by our South African fishermen.
19