# Eating puffer fish



## Lman1997 (Dec 30, 2015)

I caught what I believe is a norther pufferfish in Clearwater Florida and I cleaned it is it safe to eat? Also I put the cleaned mean with some flounder I caught is that meat safe to eat?


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## fish hawk (Dec 31, 2015)

I thought certain parts of the puffer fish was extremely poisonous and could kill you if eaten.


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## fishtail (Dec 31, 2015)

The meat is supposed to be excellent.
The problem is if you made a pass with the knife across the liver or other internal organs you have contaminated the meat. With deadly results.
Just before you go to cook it let someone who is not eating it (and the flounder stored with it) know what you did so the coroner will have an easier job.


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## Redbow (Dec 31, 2015)

The Puffers we catch here on the NC coast are excellent eating, the chicken of the Sea. Some people call them blowfish they have a really tough sandpaper type skin. I eat them as often as I can catch them, rather have them than most saltwater fish out there..

The species we catch cannot be poisonous if they were there would be a lot of dead folks around here...I can clean a Puffer faster than I can a regular fish with scales..


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## fishtail (Jan 3, 2016)

I can't find the article I read years ago which basically delineated locations the puffer is toxic. From what I remember for the most part it was locations where the enviroment can support coral reefs.
Here is a link from the FDA that basically says the same thing.
http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm085529.htm

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers only to eat puffer fish (also known as fugu, bok, blowfish, globefish, swellfish, balloonfish, or sea squab) from two known safe sources. The safe sources are 1) imported puffer fish that have been processed and prepared by specially trained and certified fish cutters in the city of Shimonoseki, Japan, and 2) puffer fish caught in the mid-Atlantic coastal waters of the United States, typically between Virginia and New York. Puffer fish from all other sources potentially contain deadly toxins and therefore are not considered safe.

Puffer fish caught from the mid-Atlantic coastal waters of the United States do not contain these deadly toxins and are considered safe to eat. They are less expensive than imported puffer fish and may be found in markets or restaurants. However, puffer fish caught off the east coast of Florida should not be eaten because the entire fish is potentially toxic."


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## fishtail (Jan 3, 2016)

Completely unrelated except for being in the same general locations, an advisory warning of eating Barracuda had been published. Due to ciguatera poisoning.
Basically certain small fish feeding from coral reefs accumulate toxins who are later eaten by larger fish which in turn accumulates the toxins. 
The older the fish the more toxins it may contain.
The advisory suggested not eating Barracuda that was over 18" in length. Later it was revised to use caution eating any of them.


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## swamp hunter (Jan 3, 2016)

I must have ate a Million Puffers from Florida waters growing up.
Me and Granddad fished for them all the time, only fishin he did.
Canepoles and eatin Sardines and crackers for lunch, bucket full of Puffers for dinner.


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## bfriendly (Jan 3, 2016)

*Never too old to learn....*

Good Grief, I was gonna say something like YUCK! I dont know how many of those nasty thangs I got off the hook and did so without touching more than necessary.

I didnt look, but there probably is a Youtube vid on how to clean one.

As far as the Flounder goes.......YUM! One of my favorite!


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## owl (Jan 3, 2016)

What he said


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## fishtail (Jan 3, 2016)

bfriendly said:


> Good Grief, I was gonna say something like YUCK! I dont know how many of those nasty thangs I got off the hook and did so without touching more than necessary.



You sure you ain't thinking about an oyster toad?


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## obligated (Jan 3, 2016)

I wouldnt take the chance.I knew people that ate them but they also knew how to clean them.I like eating big pieces of bone free fish.If I have to pic through it or worry about getting sick Ill pass on it.I guess years of catching and eating grouper and snapper on the boat spoiled me.


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## bluedogfishing (Jan 4, 2016)

If this is the Northern Puffer that you are catching you have nothing to worry about. These puffers or Blowfish are not poisonous. I have been eating them for years. Very tasty and easy to clean.


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## blood on the ground (Jan 4, 2016)

bluedogfishing said:


> If this is the Northern Puffer that you are catching you have nothing to worry about. These puffers or Blowfish are not poisonous. I have been eating them for years. Very tasty and easy to clean.



That's one ugly fish!


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## Permitchaser (Feb 11, 2016)

We catch them up on Oak Island NC. I throw them back cause their to small to fillet


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## nickel back (Feb 12, 2016)




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## fish hawk (Feb 12, 2016)

http://m.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/puffer-fish-prohibition/


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