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24/09/2004: "LINE FISHING Spanish Makerel picture"

Predator fish which feed upon smaller fish and occasionally wind-up becoming toxic for humans with ciguaterra poisoning. Ciguaterra is tastless and without a colour and occurs in tropical fish. Usually it is the big makerel which are most likely to be contaminated. The symptoms of poisoning are not too good. Many doctors would not recognise the problem and may therefore treat you for something else, especially if you are on holiday in the north and return home sick. If you eat makerel and feel 'crook' afterwards, tell the doc this information.

Worse still, the poison can slowly over years, accumulate until it tips the balance. It can then keep re-occuring if you eat additional contaminated fish or even chicken that has been fed contaminated fish-meal pellets! (According to a friend who suspects this happened to him).

Other fish are on the danger list too. Barracuda, red bass, chinaman fish are all suspects as is the big blue spot coral trout especially. Beware any seafood listed vaguely, i.e. "reef fillets" "mixed fillets". This is the retailer being 'shifty'.

Otherwise, grilled spanish makerel is one of the most common fish favourites in many parts of the tropical Pacific. Just watch out for those very big fish of 15kg or more, especiallly in southern Queensland near Hervey Bay. Pictured is a small verion.