Fishermanpaddy Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 I was out in the boat today and caught some Gurnard. I never kept them before but thought I would actually keep a few this time as everyone raves about how good they are. I filleted them tonight and noticed they were riddled with parasitic worms which were embedded in the meat of the belly cavity. Now I gut all my fish within 5 minutes of catching them, so it wouldn't have been that the guts were left in too long. So does anyone know if they are harmful? And are they the norm with Gurnard? Cheers fellers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeedoodlepigeon Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 I found some in Mackerel I once caught I was told off my brothers friend who is a marine biologist that once cooked you would catch no harm, not for me threw them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 have seen these worms also in salmon, usually the vent is red and sore looking, but apparently they are alright to eat. our bioligist told us it depends on there feeding grounds, when some seasons the worms are more common. hope this makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeedoodlepigeon Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Not sure if they are the norm with Gurnard but a friend of mine knows a lot about fish as he catches them for the sea life centres so I will get back to you on that if someone on here can't set you right with it. I once caught a Mackerel with a alien looking wood louse on its tail about a inch and half long feeding off its blood and kept it to find out what it was. Upon reaching the shore I found one of the crew had killed it and threw it over board as they were not happy travelling with it in the same boat. The weirdest thing I have seen. I didn't eat that either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Had the same thing in Pouting - straight back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Not sure if they are the norm with Gurnard but a friend of mine knows a lot about fish as he catches them for the sea life centres so I will get back to you on that if someone on here can't set you right with it. I once caught a Mackerel with a alien looking wood louse on its tail about a inch and half long feeding off its blood and kept it to find out what it was. Upon reaching the shore I found one of the crew had killed it and threw it over board as they were not happy travelling with it in the same boat. The weirdest thing I have seen. I didn't eat that either. i think that that would have been sea lice attached to fish. the female has a long thin tail. they are commonly found on salmon and when the fish has been in fresh water for about 48 hours they drop of and die. this a sign that the fish is fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) You will be surprised at how many fish have worms. As has been said, they dont hurt you. When I was trawling, livers etc would be riddled with them sometimes, never threw the fish away and never had any problems selling them either. Its accepted as normal within the industry. If you want to see how many are there you dont know about, visit a smokehouse, my mate owns one and when he takes the fish out of the stack the fillets have plenty of worms which have abandoned the fillet to try and escape the smoke. My dad was a Trawler skipper along with all my family, uncles etc....we have eaten fish since we were toddlers and we are all still here. It never puts any of us off finding a worm. Edited to add....if you buy a piece of wet fish and it has a live worm then you know it really is fresh, they dont survive for too long after the fish is dead and filleted....couple of days or so. Edited August 12, 2012 by Sprackles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonna Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 I caught some codling and there were worms comming out of it's hooter. Pink ones. Never did me any harm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillmouse Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Yup, most white fish will be pretty much riddled with these worms. Think of them as extra protein. Sea fresh fish means sea fresh parasites. Normally dead by the time commercial fish hits the shop and cooking sorts them out. Susshi anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Was a fishmonger for 5 years and most of the cod haddock whiting gurnard and so on had them just picked them off and carry on no probs. farmed fish don't have so many as there is stuff in the pellet feed to get rid of them. Know what fish I'd rather have. Atb Johb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 howdy paddy i used to fish a lot off anglesey in my seahog,whiting cod pollack all had worms in them embedded in the flesh,i used to just dig them out with filletin knife b4 freezin an never had any problems probaly ate 100,s of them in 30 years of sea fishin.an i used to eat gurnards as well bit off a ****** skinnin em tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishermanpaddy Posted August 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Folks you all have been a great help. I have to admit they look a bit offputting but as has been suggested they will add a bit of protein lol. Iv probably ate my fair share of them in the past but just failed to notice them when I was filleting. some Pollock goujons and mash on the menu tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 It may be a load of rubbish but I was told that they tend to eat more haddock than cod up north as they say that cod has more worms in it than haddock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeedoodlepigeon Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 I would not eat this!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 It may be a load of rubbish but I was told that they tend to eat more haddock than cod up north as they say that cod has more worms in it than haddock. Here in Grimsby and Cleethorpes, you won't find a chippy selling Cod. Haddock and Skate is the staple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 I found some in a piece of conger I had once. Just picked it out and didn't tell the Mrs (she has a phobia of worms). Although I did kind of hope that any I didn't see were dealt with by cooking it and going the digestive system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 (edited) All well & good saying they wont hurt you if they are cooked but what if you are a fan of eating raw fish in its various forms ? I would always advise gutting them as soon as possible & I have seen worms in many types of fish but that dose not mean I have to like eating the horrid things !. There is a type of fish worm some in some parts of the world that you would not want to get into your stomach ! I watched a fasciating documentary on parasites some time ago & if you had watched this you would no longer just shrug your shoulders & say " ah well no extra charge for the meat ! " some of these worms have serious conseqences in some parts of the world . Some years ago I was in a restaurant in Bondi in Sydney Australia & they had Sole on the menu wich to me sounded good so upon the meal being delivered I promptly started to enjoy the tasty white flesh when I suddenly noticed some thing odd in the flesh . This odd thing was white just like the fish but was some what different from the rest of the flesh & it tasted the same too ! but upon futher investigation with the fish knife I found what to me was a large worm & the bit I uncovered was as long & as thick as my little finger ( it could have been longer ! ) & it was ribbed ! so I had to act fast before I started reaching !!!! & I pushed the plate away & thought of England !. As for worms in Gurnard well we were fishing off the Welcome Home last week off the west of Orkney when 2 Gurnard were landed the other side of the boat & I heard moans of its got worms ! also heard moans of worms from Yorkshireman who had just landed a good sized cod & he made straight for the fillet knife to gut it & chuck the guts overboard , good idea I think ? . Talking of worms in fish I remember when fishing as a small boy for Sticklebacks we were catching had bloated bellies & if sqeezed a large tape worm would come out of its vent & have never seen that before or since . ps see post worms in Rabbits Edited August 15, 2012 by Pole Star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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