fish - Haiti Observer Blog

Poisson Gros Sel is a rich, traditional Haitian dish using red snapper, catfish, or tilapia. The preparation of the fish before cooking is essential. You must first remove both the genitals and gills of the fish, then use fresh limes to get rid of the fishy smell, by squeezing the limes all over the fish.

While the fish is resting for five to ten minutes, put the rest of the ingredients out: parsley, thyme, butter, garlic, more fresh limes, and salt. The most essential ingredient of all is Grandma's Marinating Sauce, which you will marinate the fish with for 30 minutes in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

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Haiti's version of the Dead Sea is the briny Etang Saumâtre, which translates in English to brackish pond. As Haiti's largest lake, it holds second place to the Dominican Republic's Lake Enriquillo as the second largest lake in Hispaniola. Known by some as Lake Azuéi, it is known by Haiti's neighbors as Lago del Fondo, and also by the Taíno name, Yainagua.

Found in what is described as the arid part of the Cul-de-Sac valley, the pond can be found less than 30 km east of the Haitian capital in the Ouest Department. At its northern side, it forms part of the border with the Dominican Republic.

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Gin yo Proverb Crekol Ki di Le ou en Devain minm Ze kasse Tet ou. Se sa ki rive Whale sa. Yon Gro bet Konsa, Nan Lanme ki arrive kite 2 ti Ayisyen Kembe Li.

This is a big Whale, not the shark that you have heard about. The two Haitian were probably in a "Bya Fouye", a very small, hand made boat

Nan lanwit 20 Novem, 2 Pechè sa yo rive kenbe yon gwo pwason nan lanmè nan moman yo tap peche

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Ciguatera, which goes by the catch-all label of Copper Fish, make their home in tropical climates such as Haiti. A poisonous form of algae, ciguatera has been found in 400-plus types of fish living in waters near reefs. The ciguatera algae form on coral reefs, as well as seaweed and other kinds of benign algae. Small fish who feed on these plants ingest ciguatera, made up of several strains of toxins: ciguatoxin, maitotoxin, scaritoxin, and palytoxin. Ciguatera was first recognized as a dangerous toxin in 1774.

What happens once the plant-feeding fish ingest the toxins, they then become food for larger flesh-eating fish until it reaches the apex of the food chain in bigger fish: moray eels, groupers, trigger fishes, and barracudas. These are the fish caught, brought to market, and that end up on a family's table. The problem with ciguatoxin is that it has no odor, taste, and cannot by contaminated by the usual cooking methods.

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Copper fish poisoning, caused by the ciguatoxin algae, traveling up the food chain from plant-eating to flesh-eating fish, enters the gastrointestinal tract, causing diarrhea and vomiting. It next attacks the brain, producing symptoms like muscle aches, numbness, vertigo, headaches, ataxia, paresthesia, and hallucinations.

Ciguatoxin is difficult to treat. It may clear up on its own or hang on for years. Drugs can manage symptoms, but no definitive cure exists. While in its active state, ciguatoxin must run its course, and care-givers are an important part of the support phase. Once the acute phase of the sickness has passed, medications can treat symptoms of sluggish circulation and piercing chest pains.

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Copper fish are most often associated with a poisonous form of algae, ciguatera. Ciguatera flourishes on coral reefs as well as on benign forms of algae. The ciguatera toxin, ciguatoxin is most often found in tropical waters in places like the Caribbean. Once the toxin has reached the top of the food chain, fish now carrying ciguatoxin end up as the family's dinner. What makes ciguatera so difficult to recognize is it has no odor, taste, and is unable to be dissipated through normal cooking methods.

Ciguatera poisoning is often mistaken as multiple sclerosis. Patients go to the medical clinic with a host of symptoms, both gastrointestinal and neurological. Symptoms initially manifest in the gastrointestinal tract as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Then the ciguatoxin travels to the brain, producing muscle aches, numbness, vertigo, headaches, ataxia, paresthesia, and hallucinations.

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As part of his platform to decentralize government and create self-sustaining communities, Haiti President Michel Martelly officially launched the Baie-de-Henne fish farm, by releasing hatchlings at the Baie-de-Henne lake reservoir on July 20, 2012.

The Baie-de-Henne reservoir is among the latest hill-side lake to be incorporated into the National Program of Hill Lakes. It joins a series of recently opened hill-side lakes, now at 160 in the country.

The hill-side lakes' purpose is the raising of farmed fish and conservation of water resources, during the off-season of rainy weather. The hill-side lakes are a repository for crop irrigation and animal need for water during seasonal droughts. Besides the benefits of food self-sufficiency and conservation, the lakes also sustain the local ecosystem. Birds who inhabit these reservoirs feed on insects, which save crops.

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The Northwest region of Haiti, which has been suffering from prolonged drought periods, will be bound to experience a new change altogether after construction of artificial lakes. The project which involved the construction of over 160 artificial lakes was well appreciated by the local dwellers that would use the new resource for fishing, watering their animals and using it for irrigation. With the established artificial lakes up and running, local dwellers will be in a position to adequately suffice their food needs and earn some income from the economic activities promoted by the new resource in the region, President Martelly said.

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What's next for Haiti in 2010, earthquake, cholera and now thousands of fish are dying in Haiti.

Dozens of dead fish were found washing on the shores of "Etang Saumatre". According to the residents in "Plaine du Cul de Sac, the fish have been contaminated and other animals have died after eating these dead fish.

Could this kill the residents in the regions if they eat the dead fish?

What about the water, can people drink it or cook with it?

Were these fish affected by cholera as well?

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