Fishing While Onboard Cargo Ships | Chief MAKOi Seaman Podcast episode 4

I'm reviving the podcast segment in my channel! I'll also use it to tell short seafarer stories such as the one in this episode.

Fishing will always be a favorite past-time among seafarers. But toxins in the fish like Ciguatera can be dangerous and even life-threatening if not treated immediately.

Chief MAKOi
Seaman Vlog
Podcast episode 4

[garyvigorito]

I have never worked on a commercial vessel but I did live in the Florida Keys and on My sailboat all around the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Three things that I was taught. Never eat Barracuda or similar reef predators. Stay away from larger(older) reef fish as they are the ones most likely to get You in trouble. Never fish in ports. Thank You for Your great information.

[greenthing]

Thank you Chief. We find you telling stories very enjoyable too.

[FranciscoGomez-xlsc]

As a retired seafarer, we had near fatal incident when we ate contaminated fish. Our trade route is US and the Carribbean. Thanks for your stories, it brings back notable memories.
God Bless

[TheEddyrose]

While we were anchored on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico, a ship mate caught a barracuda and the chief cook (a Philipino) cooked it, delicious, nobody got sick. We ate the fish we caught in several ports throughout the world, it was alway a treat for us when we could eat fresh fish. I never knew about the danger at that time, this was many years ago. Love your videos, keep up the good work.

[BarkinRabid]

In Capricornia Qld Australia we were brought up knowing Ciguatera as "Big Fish Poison". Any top-of-the-food chain fish can carry it, but big full sized adults were especially suspect. Our fish markets will not buy produce over a certain size. Our folk tale was you feed a sample to a cat. If the cat refused or got sick the meat had Ciguatera - cats were sensitive to the poison.

[locofurioso]

In Puerto Rico we have this problem on aa frequent basis. I remember a story where the health department had issued a warning for Ciguatera and were doing restaurant inspections to see if the restaurants were following the law. On one such restaurant they found fish that were temporarily banned and informed the owner of the business . He was mad at the health inspector and to prove they were wrong cooked and ate one of these fish. He was dead by the time evening came. Don’t ignore this health hazard.

[MrDschubba]

My wife and I both got ciguatera poisoning in Aitutaki Rarotonga.
Gastric symptoms to start but a crazy symptom where a cold beer from the fridge felt it was burning yours hands.
A mild case I guess but took 3 months the to come right.

[inothome]

When I was living in S Florida every so often you'd hear about someone eating fish infected with ciguatera. Was, like you said, mainly with reef fish or from the fish that eats the reef feeding fish.

[victorvandillen]

In Jamaica they test the fish by putting it outside in the sun. If flies pitch on it, it's good to go 😁👍😁

[aa-kvpq]

I remember being 2nd mate on a product tanker working the carribbean and I'm remember a ship from another company where all or nearly all the crew became sick from eating fish and our company put out memos about it and we had to discuss it at the next safety meeting

[bc-guy]

This was fascinating!! I had no idea!
Thank you Chief. Please keep posting in this series - the Storytelling is very entertaining!
(And we can't watch only videos of you bragging about your big piston!)

[ndfloorsongs]

Love your videos, and especially like the stories you tell. When I was growing up I lived on Galveston Bay near Houston Texas near the Houston ship channel. The biggest watercraft I've ever been on (except for the Battleship Texas museum ship) was my dad's 16-ft wooden sailboat which he built himself. I spent many days on the bay in that boat. As kids we would watch the big ships come up the Houston ship channel and always wave to the crew and they would wave back at us. I always wondered what it was like to work aboard those ships and now I know. Keep up the good work, your videos really add something to my life and I can tell your love of making them, it really shows through.

[amiralozse]

this kind of poisoning is terrifying.
thanks for talking about this

[Truckngirl]

Just so you know, there are test kits (Cigua-Check) for ciguatera available. They sell them in Hawaii because Ulua (Giant Travalli) often contain it. There is no cure, and it never goes away...And certain things trigger a relapse, like cashew nuts.

[geofffisher]

Greetings from Australia. I sail on a large bulker through the great barrier reef area on a set route. Some of the crew regularly fish whilst at anchor. Nobody has ever worried about licences. The company has banned the serving of caught fish to the crew due to the risk of ciguatera but said fish is still served up to the crew. Fortunately no problems yet. Love your videos.

[chrissmith]

👍😎👍 Thank you chief for for your time.

[Norbrookc]

In the US, most of the fishing permits are controlled by the state whose waters you're in. I know in my state (NY), you can get licenses for limited periods, and, in a seafarer's case, get the marine fishing permit as well. It can even be done online. One of the reasons for the restrictions is to keep fish populations sustainable.

[dougbourdo]

Thank you Chief for another informative presentation. Also again for your insight into the Dali crash in Baltimore. I am sure we all are awaiting a final determination of cause for that situation.

[hugolafhugolaf]

This channel and What’s going on with shipping are a must!

[johnkelley]

Thanks Chief for this very important story. I had no idea about this kind of illness nor the types of fish that carry it. Thanks for sharing this.