Poisonous but tasty – the greater weever is on the rise in the Kattegat
Never before have there been so many of the poisonous predatory fish known as the greater weever in the Kattegat. Commercial fishermen see commercial opportunities. But swimmers would rather avoid the creature that has been dubbed the ‘viper of the sea’.
In just a few months this year, Danish fishermen have caught 800 tonnes of greater weever, reports Politiken.
´There have probably never been as many greater weever in the Kattegat as there are now,´ Henrik S. Lund, a biologist at the Danish Fisheries Association, told the newspaper.
Cod numbers are falling
One possible explanation is that cod, which feeds on sand eels, has declined sharply. Mathias Ivarsson, a fisheries expert and chair of the Swedish Fishermen’s Producers’ Organisation, thinks this sounds plausible.
´It may well be because cod are no longer present in the same numbers, meaning they no longer have a natural predator. But that is, of course, speculation.´
´Swedish fishermen haven’t seen the same massive increase as their Danish counterparts,´says Ivarsson, but they don’t target them in the same way.
In some places, there’s a lot of by-catch of weever when fishing for Norway lobster, but in such cases they try to avoid those spots. Even those who fish for mackerel with hooks have problems with weever, as it strikes before the hook reaches the mackerel.
The viper of the sea
The weever is perhaps best known for its poisonous spines, which are excruciatingly painful to be pricked by, and has been called “the viper of the sea”. The pain and swelling can linger for a long time, sometimes for several months.
´She didn’t say much, she just screamed,´ quotes Politiken from an encounter with a weever.
´The weever’s venom is found only in its spines; the fish itself is not inedible. In Denmark, researchers are now investigating the possibilities for commercial fishing of the weever. In Sweden, targeted fishing for the weever has been carried out in the past, but this has ceased as the waters where it took place are now protected,´ says Mattias Ivarsson.
Ìt’s a very tasty fish. Now that quotas for other species are being reduced, the weever could be utilised much more. But it’s important to find gear that doesn’t catch, for example, cod, but does catch greater weever.´
The greater weever (Trachinus draco) is found in limited areas along the Swedish west coast. During the day, it tends to lie buried in the sand, waiting for its prey.
The weever is the only fish in Sweden that possesses a dangerous venom. It has venomous spines on its gills and its anterior dorsal fin. Even dead fish still have venom in their spines.
A sting from a weever fish is extremely painful. The pain can last for several days and the swelling for months.
If you are stung by a weever fish, you should immediately immerse the affected body part in warm water – as hot as possible without causing a burn – at 40–45 degrees. Keep the body part submerged for up to an hour or until the pain subsides.
If the swelling and pain do not subside but get worse, you should seek medical attention. The same applies if you cannot remove the remains of the stinger or if the wound becomes swollen and oozes pus. If you experience a headache, dizziness, chills, sweating or nausea after the sting, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Source: havet.nu, 1177.se
