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This year we have been warned to be on the lookout for fish infested with the nematode (worm) Anisakis simplex. The risk to humans only occurs when the fish is ingested uncooked. To kill the worms it is essential to cook the flesh well or store in freezer for at least 24 hours.

Better still - return the fish and let these count to your catch and release tally for the year.

Click here to review article on this subject

also recent Times article: The Times

The Food Standards Agency supervises a raft of hygiene legislation applying to food businesses that protects consumers from the risk of parasitic infection from consuming fish. The FSA advices cooking fish for at least two minutes at a temperature of 70C will kill any parasites, including nematodes. Further advice may be obtained from the FSA website at www.food.gov.uk.

BATS & RABIES

Those of you who were at the AGM will have heard our resident microbiologist, David Dance giving us the lowdown on the relatively low, but real risk of contracting a rabies-related disease from bat bites. The BBC article (linked below) gives you an insight.

Basically --avoid bats that you catch at night! If bitten, you are advised to seek medical help in A&E and will require a course of anti-rabies vaccine.

BBC news article