The Pacific’s
p. 34 · Read in the full issue
In Search Of The Pacific’s Poisonous Fish
Dr. P. Helfrich, of the Mari i Laboratory, University of Hawa was in Fiji during November as pa of a Pacific-wide study of poisona fish and their feeding grounds.
HIS visit coincided with the yea. prediction for the “small risini of the balolo and he was at Levul to observe this from the Bth to tl 10th. He then chartered the Maroy for an investigation of poisonous fii feeding grounds.
Studies had previously been mai over a period of some years in mai areas of the North Pacific. Toxicii of these reefs however is said to 1 decreasing and more informatio over a wider areas is needed.
Maroro anchored in the reef pas age at Gau Island and so successfl was the fishing in this area that C Helfrich decided to stay there an forgo a visit to the reefs north Wakaya, which are currently report#: to have a large number of poisono* fish.
Numbing Effects
Fish collected and identified I local fisherman as poisonous we; tested at a laboratory made avat able by the Fiji Agricultural Depai ment.
In addition enquiries were made all areas about the number of person in the past who had been poisons by daniva, the sardine-like fish thr periodically schools in Fiji waters.
Several deaths have been records over the last few years from tl eating of daniva. It appears that tl intestines are the most toxic part ■ these small fish.
Theories that poison is also prese; in the slime and scales on fish bodii received positive evidence during tf survey. One of the fishermen, takin time out to smoke after helping i tag and sort some of the dokonivm caught, found that the whole of tH area around his lips went numb.
He had roughly wiped his hands o a piece of waste carried by the shipq engineer, and when the engineer us© the waste before smoking he als experienced some numbing effects.
Evidence on shark behaviour w v also collected for passing on to au other member of the University stae who is engaged on this work. DC Helfrich was able to interview z Gau, Tone Waiteatei, who la* February was mauled by a whiti shark.