PUFFER FISH COULD GET ENDANGERED

May 21, 2009 fetching data...

"Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish. The family includes many familiar species which are variously called puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, and toadies.They are morphologically similar to the closely related porcupinefish, which have large conspicuous spines (unlike the small, almost sandpaper-like spines of Tetraodontidae). The scientific name, Tetraodontidae, refers to the four large teeth, fused into an upper and lower plate, which are used for crushing the shells of crustaceans and mollusks, and red worms, their natural prey.

Puffer fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world, the first being a Golden Poison Frog. The skin and certain internal organs of many tetraodontidae are highly toxic to humans, but nevertheless the meat of some species is considered a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh). If one is caught while fishing, it is recommended that thick gloves are worn to avoid poisoning and getting bitten when removing the hook.

The tetraodontidae contains at least 121 species of puffers in 19 genera.They are most diverse in the tropics and relatively uncommon in the temperate zone and completely absent from cold waters. They are typically small to medium in size, although a few species can reach lengths of 100 centimetres (39 in).

Puffer poisoning usually results from consumption of incorrectly prepared puffer soup, chiri or occasionally from raw puffer meat, sashimi fugu. While chiri is much more likely to cause death, sashimi fugu often causes intoxication, light-headedness, and numbness of the lips, and is often eaten for this reason. Puffer's (tetrodotoxin) poisoning will cause deadening of the tongue and lips, dizziness, and vomiting. These are followed by numbness and prickling over the body, rapid heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and muscle paralysis. Death results from suffocation as diaphragm muscles are paralyzed. Patients who live longer than 24 hours are expected to survive, although the poison can cause comas lasting several days. Many people report being fully conscious during the entirety of the coma, and can often remember everything that was said while they were supposedly unconscious.In Voodoo, puffer's poison must be ingested by the victim for the black magic of creating "zombies," most likely because of the pseudocomatose effect.

Pufferfish, called pakpao, are also consumed in Thailand, usually by mistake, at times these fish are eaten because they are cheaper to buy, and there is little awareness or monitoring of the situation. Patients are regularly hospitalized or die as there are no specific preparations to remove the toxin before eating.

Treatment consists of supportive care and intestinal decontamination with gastric lavage and activated charcoal. Case reports suggest that anticholinesterases such as edrophonium may be effective.

Saxitoxin, the cause of PSP (paralytic shellfish poisoning, red tide), can also be found in puffers. Cases of neurologic symptoms, including numbness and tingling of the lips and mouth, have been reported to arise rapidly after the consumption of puffers caught in the area of Titusville, Florida. These symptoms are generally resolved within hours to days, although one affected individual required intubation for 72 hours. As a result of such cases, Florida banned the harvesting of puffers from certain bodies of water.

Drug development
A drug called Tectin that is derived from tetrodotoxin is being developed as a potent pain reliever. Administered in very small quantities it can bring relief to those suffering from intense chronic pain, such as that experienced by some cancer patients. Other uses, such as helping opiate addicts through withdrawal, are also being studied."-Source: Wikipedia


However, inspite of so many challanges the properties of Puffer fishes have proven lucrative, apart from medicinal use, the cuisine culture has turned out to be a major threat and is possible that many of the species of puffer fish could reach the endangered status in coming times , as per one quote, "It is a sad fact that the puffer fish, once a common sight in the park, are nowadays quite rare. One reason is that these gentle, slow moving fish are an easy target for predatory divers who enjoy the "sport" of killing fish for a cheap meal or an even cheaper thrill. Or perhaps they turn the dried skin of the dead fish into a ghoulish souvenir to hang from their ceiling."-Misguided puff piece

We fail to recognize that such beautiful creatures more than our taste buds are sincerely more lucrative when they live in their natural habitat than in the plate of palate.

THE PUFFER FISH VIDEO




KINDLY FORWARD THIS PETITION TO:
following organizations as well
. http://rsn-ssf.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=5&id=43&Itemid=67

2. http://www.seafdec.org/cms/index.php