TREATING WEEVER FISHING STINGS

[andyg]

I wish I read this post before I cut my pinkie off last June. The skipper told me to chop it off or the poison would paralise me and lead to certain death. Maybe he was only kidding, he did go kinda quiet when the blood started squirting onto the deck.......

[Ben]

its a dangerouse sport this fishing lark

[mithrandir]

so what do these little blighters look like??

[dobbin]

In the dark a small whiting could easily be mistaken for one but look at its dorsel fin black in colour fully extanded like a sail in a boat kind of

[monkey nuts]

ugly buggers

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aquarium/p...serweever.html
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aquarium/p...terweever.html

[dobbin]

Thanks for the pics I take most of the inlaws and outlaws with me on most trips and Ill be able to show them to all concerned

[geffski]

Originally Posted by tope

TOPE EXPLAINS HOW TO TREAT WEEVER FISH STINGS:


MANY OF OUR SOUTHEAST AND WEST COASTS ESTUARIES CARRY NUMBERS OF POISONOUS SMALL LESSER WEEVER FISH UP TO ABOUT 10cms LONG.IT'S OFFSHORE COUSIN,THE GREATER WEEVER GROWING TO 2LBS OR MORE,IS CONTACTED BY BOAT ANGLERS.BOTH HAVE A LARGE,SHARP SPINED BLACK COLOURED DORSAL FIN THAT CARRIES POTENT VENOM THAT ONCE INJECTED CAUSES SEVERE PAIN AND SWELLING OF THE AFFECTED LIMB.tHERE ARE ALSO ADDITIONAL POISONOUS SPINES ON THE GILL COVERS.

If injected with venom, a healthy person will feel the effects for 24hrs,but thire has been cases of fatalities when the victim has had other medical prob;ems causing physical weakness,especially heart complaints.

We anglers are particularly at risk.Shore fisherman often mistake these for smaller fish,and swing them straight into thier hands,and then grab them around the body making direct hit with the dorsal spines.The same mistake is easily made abroad a boat.Always check and identify a look-a-like whitting before handling.

Anglers digging for sandeel in sandbanks,crab pickers and even when you're digging worms can potentially put you in contact with the lesser weevers as they bury in the sand,and leave the dorsal exposed.

With this in mind,it's worth knowing what to do if you or another angler gets venom from a weever.The following information comes from a ward sister,based at margate hospital,who has treated many such cases during her working life.

1.POUR ON ANY FORM OF ALCHOL OR HOUSEHOLD VINEGAR DIRECTLY OVER THE WOUND,CONTINOUSLY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES TO INCAPACIATE THE STINGING CELLS THAT HAVE FULLY PENETRATED THE WOUND.

2.APPLY A PASTE OD EQUAL PARTS OF SODIM BICARBONATE{BAKING POWDER} AND WASH DIRECTLY TO THE WOUND AND SURROUNDING AREA TO DRAW OUT THE POISON.

3.USE TALCUM POWDER TO DUST AROUND THE WOUNDED SKIN AREA TO MAKE ANY CELLS STICK TOGETHER.EVEN BETTER THAN TALCUM POWDER IS MEAT TENDEISER USED FOR BARBECUE COOKING.IT CONTAINS PAPAIN AS ONE OF IT;S INGREDIENTS THAT CAN ACTUALY INACTIVE THE VENOM.

4.THIS WILL STABILISE THE WOUND AND REDUCE THE SPREAD OF POISON,PLUS MINIMIS AND DISCOMFORT.GET TO A HOSPITAL OR DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR FURTHER TREATMENT.

also at the bottom of that article it says that putting the infected area
in as hotter water as you can stand is still the most affective way of dealing with it, as the heat kills the stinging cells dead in about 10 mins!
also this is the preferred method for life guards and the AnE department!

p,s this works with most things in the sea that can sting including jelly fish
anemone and even rock fish! not sure about fire coral but gulley would know about that!

[mithrandir]

Thanks John, with my fish identification skills I would not know a whiting from a whale, i usually handle all sea fish with a neoprene glove until I know what they are, better safe than sorry.

[cod head]

us lot up ere wear old trainers or beach shoes in summer wen we go shrimping so we dont get stung

[Twiddler]

My son stood on one a few years back......he was almost in tears, I thought he was being a wuzz, as we couldn't see anything on his foot.......took him to the first aid (on the beach)...they put his foot in very hot water to get the poison out and explained what it was....I felt so guilty afterwards ....nasty creatures