In the Black Sea, Ukrainian ecologists recorded the appearance of a deadly poisonous fish – silvery tetraodon. About this reported press service of the State Environmental Inspection of Ukraine.
“It looks exotic, has the ability to inflate like a ball, but that’s not the worst thing. The silvery tetraodon (Lagocephalus sceleratus), or ball fish, is a deadly poisonous invasive species that is already being recorded in the waters of the Black Sea.”, – noted in the inspection.
The fish originates from the Indo-Pacific region, but through the Suez Canal it reached the Mediterranean Sea, and from there spread to the Black Sea. Its presence near the Black Sea coast of Ukraine was recorded for the first time back in 2014.
This species poses a serious danger: the tetraodon contains tetrodotoxin, a powerful poison that paralyzes the nervous system and can cause death even in small amounts. The fish has powerful jaws capable of gnawing through fishing nets, sinews and even prey, including molluscs, fish and crustaceans, displacing native species in the process.
Its spread in the Mediterranean Sea has already caused significant economic losses for fishermen, and climate change only increases the threat of expanding the range of this species in the Black Sea. This can affect biodiversity, small-scale fisheries and human health.
Environmentalists urge citizens to be careful when discovering an unfamiliar fish: take a photo or video with a size guide (ruler, hand), record the coordinates or the exact location of the find and notify the State Inspectorate. As noted in the department, such information is necessary for scientists who monitor the spread of a species that poses a threat to the ecosystem.
