A future conversation about fish dinners

From the shore here I think they fish for lobster (diving), conch(diving/snorkeling) and smaller reef fishes which are risky to eat because of the possibility of mercury poisoning.

My answers to Carey would be -
" 'No problem. I'll hop over to UVI and pick up a couple of fresh Tilapia filets, they will clean them for me right there. You can't get any fresher and yummier than that. They'll be perfect with that asparugus you picked up at Cost-U-More'"

or
" Fish is a great idea. I saw Princess Seafood has a Fresh Tuna sign up today. One of the local fishermen must have caught some. I'll go pick a couple of steaks up"

or
"Our favorite fisherman (insert name) was out yesterday and caught a huge mahi...I saw him on the roadside selling. Let's stop
by and get some".

(Ok... so, I'm not a fisherman. My understanding is that fishing here is best done by boat and be aware that if you charter the fish stays with the captain usually, not with you.) Lobster and Conch are taken from shore, usually requiring significant investment of time and swimming. Some locals do fish off the piers, judith fancy beaches, etc. but the possibility of mercury poisoning from reef fishes is great and there are only reef fish near to shore. )

The Tilapia really is fantastic. I cooked some last night for dinner - spicy almond crusted baked tilapia - yummm.

Mercury poisoning or ciguatera? Two different things.

Oh... I have/had no idea... I just know that eating reef fish is risky because of something.... when I was a kid we used to eat barracuda all the time and it was a nice firm white meat, but now people don't eat it for fear of winding up in the hospital. My husband says you are right Trade and that it is Ciguatera.... I don't know where I got mercury poisoning from.

My point is more that fishing off the shores here would most likely be something you do because you enjoy it and find it relaxing... not because your are going to catch a quick free tasty meal..

See... I like catching. I don't like fishing. Fishing requires patience, sunblock, seasickness pills, a major committment for the day, etc.

Now, If I could just go out and catch.. now that would be worth doing. But then again... I always want to give them names, imagine their life stories, throw them back in and let them live. ... swim Nemo swim! I don't like the part where they have to die in order for me to eat them. Best to go to the market and buy them by the pound. I think I could be a vegetarian if I didn't like meat so much. 🙂

I'm the same about meat. I'm not wild about vegetables though so I convince myself the steaks just are created in styrofoam packages. 🙂

Google "ciguatera". Very interesting.

Excerpts from the University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant College Program & the University of the Virgin Islands’ Center for
Marine and Environmental Studies:

• Avoid eating large fish that have been
implicated in ciguatera poisonings.
There have been over 400 species
suspected in cases of ciguatera
poisoning, especially: barracuda, moray
eels, amberjack and other jacks, and
some grouper and triggerfish species.
Ciguatoxins accumulate as they move
up the food chain, so eating larger fish
increase the likelihood of poisoning.
• Avoid eating fish caught in areas
associated with ciguatera poisoning.
• When preparing fish, always clean and
discard its head, internal organs and roe
(eggs), regions in which the toxins
accumulate.
• Only buy seafood from reputable
vendors. Make certain that you know
what species of fish you’ve purchased
and where it was caught.

Symptoms and Treatment
The symptoms of ciguatera poisoning can
appear from 15 minutes to 30 hours of
ingesting the toxin, but generally occur
within the first 6 hours. There are over 175
symptoms associated with ciguatera
poisoning, including:
• Nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting
and/or diarrhea;
• Joint pain, tingling or numbness around
palms, soles of feet and/or mouth;
• Reversal of temperature (hot feels cold,
cold feels hot);
• Accelerated heartbeat, decreased
heartbeat, irregular heartbeat.
Other symptoms may include general
weakness, dizziness, muscle pain,
headaches, depression, anxiety, painful
urination, skin rash and the sensation that
teeth are loose. There is also evidence that
the toxins can be transmitted during sexual
intercourse and transferred from a nursing
mother’s breast milk to her baby.

Duration of the symptoms varies by
individual, but most victims recover from
the worst of it within a week. However, in
some cases, recovery may take months or
even years. Additionally, victims have
experienced recurrence of symptoms after
consuming seafood (even non-ciguatera
seafood), nuts, coconuts, chocolate and
alcoholic beverages. It is recommended that
these items be avoided for six months after
ciguatera poisoning. There is no antidote for
ciguatera poisoning, although symptoms can
be treated and discomfort lessened

Not a condition I want to have...

Ahhh, limetime2, I like your way of thinking... this sounds much easier than actually investing in the fishing gear and time. I'm not particularly fond of the actual fishing part of it. Although, in the early evening, with promise of a nice sunset, if it were easy to throw a line in the water and catch dinner it would be nice. So, if it's not going to be that easy to catch myself, then I'm tickled pink that I can support various local fisherman and get some fresh food. Thanks much for all of the great info.

And, I like your fish choices. My wife really likes seafood. I'm learning to enjoy it. I think I'm really in the "McDonalds stage" of fish. I can handle Tuna, Salmon and Swordfish because they rarely have bones and aren't too fishy tasting. I've managed to eat Snapper and Tilapia (and must confess that I enjoyed it, but won't admit it yet to Carey, for fear of hearing too many "I told you so's").

I know what you're saying about naming the fish. After snorkeling the island a few times, and seeing these fish living in their world, I have much more respect for them, and really get upset (but bite my tongue) when I see folks throw trash in the water.

And... whew... thanks all for the enlightenment of the ciguatera issue. I've never heard of this ailment... it sounds really nasty.

Richard! Catching your own dinner is a special experience! Conch Chowder, lobster and snapper are my fav to catch! Just make sure whatever your going for is in season, and caught the right way (lobster with snare). There are alot of rules and regulations in place to follow(see DPNR site), but i can tell you that when you sit down at the table and your wife asks how much was the seafood dinner and you can say "cost nothing dear" & "I hunted dinner for you tonight!" you will feel special!

Now on the flipside, cleaning fish and getting conch out of their shell while on the patio is NOT a good idea!!! Trust me!

Hi Cory,

Ohh yeah, I forgot about the whole cleaning part of this.... ummmm, I'm liking limetime2's approach even more now.

I don't get questioned about how much things cost (I'm the frugal one)... I'm usually asking that question (I think Carey's economic policy is somewhere between Drunken Sailor and Voodoo). The question that she'll ask me is "so, are you doing the dishes tonight, since I cooked". I'll try to weasel out of it by saying that I bought the fish... but of course I can't win... it just opens the door to start comparing the work that we do, and I always lose.

I do need to try the conch chowder on my next trip... you folks really seem to rave about it. Is it "fishier" than clam chowder... Am I going to have to hold my nose?