JOHOR BAHRU: Following news that an elderly couple in Johor had died after consuming pufferfish, an official from the state’s fisheries department said the fish is often thrown back out to sea by fishermen when caught.
“Local fishermen will throw it back into the sea if the fish is caught in their nets, especially if it is dead – it has no value,” Johor Fisheries Department director Zainudin Abdul Wahab was quoted as saying by The Star on Tuesday (Apr 11).
He added, however, that the pufferfish is kept by some in aquariums as ornamental fish.
“People can buy pufferfish at shops selling ornamental fish. However, the sellers must have a licence to sell such a poisonous fish,” he told The Star.
Mr Zainudin added that the Johor Fisheries Department has been taking proactive steps to create awareness among members of the public on the dangers of eating pufferfish.
The Star reported that apart from using social media platforms to reach out to the masses, the department also has officers meeting up with fishermen to discuss the matter.
The issue on the consumption of pufferfish came to the fore recently following an incident of an elderly couple who died after consuming the fish. The couple had bought the fish from an online seller on Facebook, according to state news agency Bernama.
Bernama reported that an 84-year-old man, who suffered food poisoning after eating the fish, died on Apr 8. The man was the spouse of an 83-year-old woman who died on Mar 25 after consuming the fish.
Johor Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon was reported by Bernama as saying that the Johor State Health Department had already taken action when a report on the first case was received and conducted an investigation, identifying the suppliers, wholesalers and sellers involved in the pufferfish transaction.
Bernama also reported that Malaysia’s fisheries department director-general Adnan Hussain advised the public to avoid eating pufferfish, because “almost all types of pufferfish contain toxins that can cause poisoning if not prepared or cooked correctly”.
Malay Mail reported on Monday that the Johor State Health Department is waiting on the laboratory report on the pufferfish poisoning, with the result expected to be ready in about two to three weeks’ time.
Mr Ling, the state’s health and unity committee chairman, was reported as saying that the report is needed to complete the investigation paper before it is handed to the deputy public prosecutor’s office for a decision on the next course of action.
“We are waiting for the report from the laboratory and we need to discuss with the Ministry of Health and universities on certain existing acts to determine whether there are sufficient grounds to charge the supplier,” Mr Ling was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.