Have you ever eaten 'Shark' steak?

by AK - Jeff 35 Replies latest jw experiences

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  return visitor

  Any preparation suggestions for the next time I cook it?

  try stuffing it with kitten.
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  knock knock

  knock-knock - Just one question; What the hell ya' doin' three miles out in a 14 footer?

  Jeff, wasn't my idea, I was a kid. My brother-in-law was freaking crazy!!! Caught that damn shark with a piece of ski rope and a 3" gaff and then manhandled it into the boat kicking and screaming (oh, that was ME kicking and screaming). Three weeks before that he and his friend hauled in an 8' hammerhead. I think my sister still has the polaroid of that one. Unreal.
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  Stealth453

  I LOVE shark steak. I marinate it in a mixture of pure honey and rum for about 24 hours, then bbq it.

  Man...a better meal is hard to find.
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  skeeter1

  I'm telling you guys, shark meat tastes GREAT, but it's POISONOUS to eat......

  http://www.visiondive.com/sites/protection/english/poisonous_shark_meat.html

  Poisonous Shark Meat For a long time it was assumed and now it is certain: Shark meat is poisonous!! By a new method of analysis, patented by Professor Klaus Heumann of the University of Mainz (Germany), alarming concentrations of methyl mercury were found in shark steaks. A study - given by the shark protection organization Sharkproject - proved that there is up to 1400 microgram of methyl mercury per kilogram blue shark steak. These are 420 microgram of methyl mercury in a normal 300 gram shark steak portion and this is 60 times more than a 70 kg heavy consumer per day may have. The danger value is 0.1 microgram per kilogram body weight and day. This value was specified by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in a toxicologist committee and is considered as new international standard. A consumer might take only 5 gram blue shark steak or 12.7 gram of smoked rock salmon (smoked dogfish) per day. Each higher dose can have serious consequences. Methyl mercury is most dangerous for the human body. Toxicologist Dr. Hermann Kruse of the University of Kiel (Germany) explains why: "It is one of the biologically most active and most dangerous poisons for humans. In addition methyl mercury is a "Trojan horse" which can pass easily each protection barrier as to the separation mechanism between the blood circulation of a mother and her unborn child as well as the blood-brain barrier of each adult. The consequences of such a poisoning are for an infant mental development disturbances and for an adult eavy damage to the central nervous system. These express themselves by headache, memory difficulties or depressions." Besides kidney damages, cancer and massive damages of the brain threatens. Who thinks that a smoked rock salmon (smoked dogfish) or a small blue shark steak from the food discounter now and then is not precarious is wrong because the half-life of methyl mercury is high. The human organism needs 60 to 80 days to halve the poison concentration in the body. But not only sharks are affected by this heavy metal load. The same applies to all large predatory fish who take up the poison over their natural food chain. For example also tuna and swordfish count for this. The management of the German fish restaurant chain North Sea already reacted to the arguments of the animal conservationist organization and wants to go completely without any shark products. These results also would have to alarm now the food branch and the Ministries of Health. The best would be if everyone stopped immediately with buying or consuming all kind of shark products and with the consumption of tuna and swordfish. (Source: "Tauchen"-Magazine and Sharkproject)
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  skeeter1

  Here's from the Environmental Protection Agency....

  http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html

  March 2004

  EPA-823-R-04-005

  
  

  What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

  2004 EPA and FDA Advice For:
  Women Who Might Become Pregnant
  Women Who are Pregnant
  Nursing Mothers
  Young Children

  Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

  However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

  By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

  1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

  2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

     • Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

     • Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

  3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

  Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

  Frequently Asked Questions about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish:

  1. "What is mercury and methylmercury?"
     Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans and is turned into methylmercury in the water. It is this type of mercury that can be harmful to your unborn baby and young child. Fish absorb the methylmercury as they feed in these waters and so it builds up in them. It builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others, depending on what the fish eat, which is why the levels vary.

  2. "I'm a woman who could have children but I'm not pregnant - so why should I be concerned about methylmercury?"
     If you regularly eat types of fish that are high in methylmercury, it can accumulate in your blood stream over time. Methylmercury is removed from the body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it may be present in a woman even before she becomes pregnant. This is the reason why women who are trying to become pregnant should also avoid eating certain types of fish.

  3. "Is there methylmercury in all fish and shellfish?"
     Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methylmercury. However, larger fish that have lived longer have the highest levels of methylmercury because they've had more time to accumulate it. These large fish (swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish) pose the greatest risk. Other types of fish and shellfish may be eaten in the amounts recommended by FDA and EPA.

  4. "I don't see the fish I eat in the advisory. What should I do?"
     If you want more information about the levels in the various types of fish you eat, see the FDA food safety website www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html or the EPA website at www.epa.gov/ost/fish.

  5. "What about fish sticks and fast food sandwiches?"
     Fish sticks and "fast-food" sandwiches are commonly made from fish that are low in mercury.

  6. "The advice about canned tuna is in the advisory, but what's the advice about tuna steaks?"
     Because tuna steak generally contains higher levels of mercury than canned light tuna, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of tuna steak per week.

  7. "What if I eat more than the recommended amount of fish and shellfish in a week?"
     One week's consumption of fish does not change the level of methylmercury in the body much at all. If you eat a lot of fish one week, you can cut back for the next week or two. Just make sure you average the recommended amount per week.

  8. "Where do I get information about the safety of fish caught recreationally by family or friends?"
     Before you go fishing, check your Fishing Regulations Booklet for information about recreationally caught fish. You can also contact your local health department for information about local advisories. You need to check local advisories because some kinds of fish and shellfish caught in your local waters may have higher or much lower than average levels of mercury. This depends on the levels of mercury in the water in which the fish are caught. Those fish with much lower levels may be eaten more frequently and in larger amounts.

  For further information about the risks of mercury in fish and shellfish call the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's food information line toll-free at 1-888-SAFEFOOD or visit FDA's Food Safety website www.cfsan.fda.gov/seafood1.html

  For further information about the safety of locally caught fish and shellfish, visit the Environmental Protection Agency's Fish Advisory website www.epa.gov/ost/fish or contact your State or Local Health Department. A list of state or local health department contacts is available at www.epa.gov/ost/fish. Click on Federal, State, and Tribal Contacts. For information on EPA's actions to control mercury, visit EPA's mercury website at www.epa.gov/mercury.

  This document is available on the web at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html.
  

  ---

  This document is also available in brochure format in both English and Spanish.

  Seafood Information and Resources - Methylmercury
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  skeeter1

  I grew up catching shark, barracuda, and other fish. We rarely ate the shark. I started eating it in college. It was cheap, and I thought it was "brain food" as it was fish. I have since learned....not good.

  Like that Marvin Gaye song, "lordy, lordy, bee....things ain't what they used to be...oh no....fish full of mercury."

  Skeeter
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  Stealth453

  try stuffing it with kitten.

  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  How do I get nose goblin stains off my keyboard?
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  skeeter1

  Kittens are surely poisonous. They walk into a litter box, pee & poo, then jump on your countertops where you prepare your food.
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  PEC

  Lemon pepper and salt. Do not over cook.

  When I was a kid I would break thermometers and play with the mercury, them I would go into eat lunch without washing my hands. Today everyone wants there to be no risk. There is risk in everything we do. You are much more likely to die from food poison from eating out than to get mercury poisoning from eating shark.

  Philip (of the 78 posts to jedi class.)
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  Frequent_Fader_Miles

  Shark meat is VERY popular in this neck of the woods. It's the "street food" on one of the most popular beaches here ... served seasoned and fried, then placed in a piece of fried dough (called "bake" even though it's fried) and drenched in your choice of sauces and condiments..