Warning about commercialization of toxic fish species

Authorities of the National Office of State Inspection (ONIE) alert the population of Matanzas about the commercialization of toxic fish species on public roads, whose ingestion can cause serious damage to human health, including death.

«There are citizens who unscrupulously without thinking about the damage they may cause are dedicated to marketing potentially toxic species, both on public roads and through social networks, without thinking about the consequences for the health of those who consume them. That is why we warn the population not to buy those fish that they do not know, «explains César Reyes Manso, director of the ONIE.

According to current regulations, the capture, landing and marketing of marine species such as aguají, cibi, coronado, cubera, Galician horse mackerel, picúa and tiñosa are prohibited, some of them taking into account their weights.

«Unfortunately there is no formula to determine whether the species is toxic or not. Even any type of fish in the post-mortem process has a bacterium in its intestine that breaks it down. That is why it must be kept on ice, at a temperature between 0 and 5 degrees to keep it cool. There are people who have fish the whole day in hand catching sun, it decomposes and although it is not a toxic species it can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

«The ONIE takes action against all citizens that we detect marketing these species and the fines depend on whether they are repeat offenders or if they committed the infraction within the same year. In the case of vessels that are detected with a violation, depending on the contravention, they can be without fishing for up to two years, their fishing license can be withdrawn and if it was serious they could be prosecuted by the courts, «added Reyes Manso.

«We have detected people selling them on the bridge of Versailles, so we warn them not to buy fish that they do not know and that may be prone to catch a ciguatera.»

Ciguatera is a common form of food poisoning from eating fish that feed on or inhabit coral reefs and is endemic to the tropics and subtropics due to the consumption of ciguato fish.

Translated by Casterman Medina de Leon