Local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Fish Poisoning in Fiji

Jimaima Veisikiaki Lako; Sereima Naisilisili; Veikila C Vuki; Nanise Kuridrani; Dominic Agyei

doi:10.3390/toxins15030223

Local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Fish Poisoning in Fiji

Toxins (Basel). 2023 Mar 16;15(3):223. doi: 10.3390/toxins15030223.

Authors

Jimaima Veisikiaki Lako¹, Sereima Naisilisili², Veikila C Vuki³, Nanise Kuridrani⁴, Dominic Agyei⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Applied Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Technology, Fiji National University, Suva P.O. Box 15676, Fiji.
² School of Education, Faculty of Arts, Law and Education, The University of the South Pacific, Laucala Campus, Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji.
³ Oceania Environment Consultants, UOG Station, Mangilao 96923, Guam.
⁴ Ministry of Fisheries, Lami Station, Suva P.O. Box 3165, Fiji.
⁵ Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.

Abstract

Fish poisoning (FP) affects human health, trade and livelihood in Fiji, where management has depended mainly on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). This paper investigated and documented this TEK through a 2-day stakeholder workshop, group consultation, in-depth interviews, field observations, and analyses of survey data from the Ministry of Fisheries, Fiji. Six TEK topics were identified and classified as preventative and treatment options. The preventive approach involves identifying toxic reef fishes, the spawning season of edible seaworms, hotspot areas of toxic fishes, folk tests, and locating and removing toxic organs. For example, 34 reef fish species were identified as toxic. The FP season was associated with the spawning of balolo (edible seaworm) and the warmer months of October to April (cyclone seasons). Two well-known toxic hotspots associated with an abundance of bulewa (soft coral) were identified. Folk tests and locating and removing toxic fish organs are also practised for moray eels and pufferfish. At the same time, various locally available herbal plants are used to treat FP as the second line of defence. The TEK collated in this work can help local authorities better identify the sources of toxicity, and applying TEK preventive measures could stem the tide of fish poisoning in Fiji.

Keywords: ciguatera; fish poisoning; marine toxin hotspots; toxic fish species; traditional ecological knowledge.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Ciguatera Poisoning* / epidemiology
Eels
Fiji / epidemiology
Fishes
Foodborne Diseases*
Humans
Tetraodontiformes*

Grants and funding

This research was initially funded by the EU PACE-NET+ project entitled “Inventory of Traditional Ecological Knowledge of ciguatera fish poisoning and its treatment in Fiji”, in collaboration between the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji National University, and Ministry of Fisheries. Some parts of face-to-face interviews, in-depth interviews and field observations used in this research were included as part of a project entitled “Investigation of the incidence of fish poisoning in communities in Fiji” that was funded by the Fiji National University seed grants.