Unscrupulous fishermen across the country are now fishing large quantities of highly toxic pufferfish, and passing it off to customers as “crystal fish.” Earlier today, The Star reported that wet markets in Penang, Kedah and Perak were selling it on to the unknowing customers, and more worryingly, restaurant owners looking to make better margins. The firm, white flesh of the pufferfish can be used to dupe unknowing palates.
When handled properly, the fish is consumable. But its toxins are found in its liver, eyes, eggs, blood and skin.
Even just a little bit of the toxic substance in the fish tetrodotoxin will kill you. It’s tasteless, colorless, odorless, won’t get killed by any amount of heat. So if you accidentally eat some, you’re in trouble. There’s no antidote, and death is best described as slow and painful.
It will start with numbness of the lips and mouth, then slowly leading to headaches and nausea, maybe vomiting. After that your body will slowly become paralyzed, starting with your limbs and eventually leading to a seizure of your lung function and heart. Oh but don’t worry, it doesn’t effect your brain so you’ll be along and aware for the whole ride.
Suddenly, saving a few bucks doesn’t really seem very important.
In Japan, pufferfish is referred to as fugu and is a highly prized delicacy that only extensively trained chefs are licensed to handle. A source who was privy to the handling of the fish told The Star that the fish was being prepared for market by foreign laborers with no experience or knowledge of how to properly clean.
“These labourers were told to just slice the tail portion of the pufferfish, below its abdomen, missing out the stomach. Gutting activities are carried out in makeshift huts and backyard operations near the ports where these fish were unloaded,” he said.
It’s now big business in northern states, with commercial trawlers in Penang and Kedah bringing in big hauls.
It all sounds rather dangerous, but here’s the catch: it’s all perfectly legal. There’s no law that prevents fishing it, nor selling it, as no one had ever fished for it commercially.
Fisheries Department: can we get on this, stat? It seems important.
