[Fish Related Health News]

Fish Facts

Should you be hooked on fish? Over the years studies have found fish is swimming with heart healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, but other studies warn some fish contains mercury and pollutants that can have sinking health effects.

"Customers have difficulty in making choices in terms of seafood because they've received fragmented information," says Dr. Nicolas Stettler of the Institute of Medicine.

Now two major reports are trying to straighten out this fish tale. After reviewing the evidence both conclude on the whole, the health benefits of fish outweigh the risks. Dr. Nicolas Stettler work on the Institute of Medicine study.

"On average Americans should eat seafood at least twice a week," says Dr. Stettler.

And remember, different fish offer different risks and rewards. Wild salmon, albacore tuna and shark all provide benefits to the heart. But the shark and tuna have higher levels of mercury. Because of that, researchers suggest children and pregnant women only eat up to four 3 oz. servings of fish a week, avoid fish with more mercury like shark and swordfish, and limit albacore tuna to only two servings a week. As for healthy adolescents and adults, the best advice is to eat fish in moderation.

"You also want to eat a variety of fish so you're not exposing yourself to a single high level contaminant, in a single type of fish," says Samantha Heller of the NYU School of Medicine.

So when it comes to the health benefits of fish, you can take the bait, just don't fall hook line and sinker.

CBS News

_______________________________________________

Preserving your vision

There's good news and bad in the latest lifespan figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The good news is we're living longer. The average life span is now 77 years for men and 83 for women. The bad news is, the older we get the more our bodies deteriorate.

And one thing that tends to go in old age is our vision. The most common cause of vision loss in the elderly is a condition called macular degeneration (MD).

As the name suggests, MD is an age-related degeneration of the macula, a area at the back of the retina with a high concentration of light receptors that gives us our central vision. People with the condition lose their central vision and as the condition progresses, find they can't read, recognise faces, or drive. It affects one person in three over the age of 80.

For the first time there seems to be a treatment that can prevent, and maybe even reverse, some of the damage in a small percentage of people. It's called ranibizumab (trade name Lucentis) and it inhibits the growth of blood vessels over the macula that sometimes occurs in the condition.

Treatment has to be ongoing, involves injections into the affected eye every month and costs several thousand dollars per treatment.

Also, it's only effective in the so called 'wet' form of the condition – where tiny blood vessels grow over the macula. In the other 'dry' form –: about ninety per cent of cases – it's ineffective.

So it's not a magic bullet. Fortunately though, there are measures you can take to prevent the condition from occurring in the first place. And there's been a flurry of recent studies published that show how to do it.

Eat fish

Eat fish, say researchers from the University of Sydney's ophthalmology department. They studied nearly 2,900 people aged 49 and older who answered a questionnaire about their diet, and had their retinas photographed as a screening test for macular degeneration.

Those who ate at least one weekly serving of fish were 40 per cent less likely to develop MD during the study, compared to those who reported eating fish less than once a month or not at all.

It's thought the high levels of omega-3 fats in fish have an anti-inflammatory effect and prevent the condition from occurring

Don’t smoke

Researchers from Massachusetts in the US made a similar finding in a group of around 700 elderly World War II veterans who filled out questionnaires about their smoking history, alcohol use, physical activity, diet, and use of multivitamins and supplements. Men with the highest fish consumption (at least two weekly servings) were 45 per cent less likely to have MD than those with the lowest fish consumption (less than one weekly serving).

The researchers also found a link between smoking and MD. Smokers had a 1.9-fold increased risk of MD while those who had smoked in the past had about a 1.7-fold increased risk of MD compared to those who had never smoked.

Antioxidants in the diet

A Dutch study suggests that a diet rich in antioxidants will reduce the risk of developing MD. Researchers looked at about 4000 elderly people in Rotterdam for eight years, observing what they ate, and screened their eyesight along the way.

Those who took vitamin E or zinc in their diet had a significantly reduced risk of developing MD – the more vitamin E or zinc they took, the more they reduced the risk. The biggest benefit was seen in those who took four antioxidants in their diet – vitamin E and zinc, plus beta carotene and vitamin C – those who took all four reduced the risk by 35 per cent. But they had to take these antioxidants in their diet – taking them as dietary supplements, for example as capsules or pills, wasn’t associated with a reduced risk.

Sources of vitamin E include wholegrains, vegetable oil, eggs, nuts. Sources of zinc include meat, poultry, fish, wholegrains, dairy products. Beta carotene is found in carrots, kale, spinach; and vitamin C in citrus fruits and juices, green peppers, broccoli, and potatoes.

Exercise regularly

Lastly, get regular exercise, say researchers from University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the US. Over 15 year period, they looked at nearly 4,000 men and women between the ages of 43 and 86 for 15 years and found those with an active lifestyle were 70 per cent less likely to develop AMD than those who had a sedentary lifestyle.

So there you have it. Don't smoke, get some exercise and eat a diet rich in fish, grains, vegetables and fruit, and you'll be able to read Barbara Cartland novels well into your eighties.

ABC News

________________________________________________

This is your brain - on seafood

For most of their lives they've had as much in common as, well, a research scientist and a chef who happen to be brothers. One earned recognition in the upper reaches of academe; the other has helped put fish back on the table in Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Now seafood is their common calling: The chef touts his yellowfin tuna with guacamole and a soy-lemon grass dressing, while the scientist explains his theories that omega-3 fatty acids can help combat dyslexia, hyperactivity and depression.

"He studies it; I sell it," explains Rick Stein, one of Britain's foremost restaurateurs. "I'm the act, and he's the science."

Last year, at London's Royal Institution of Great Britain, they experimented with using Rick's cooking demonstrations to make John's neurophysiology more palatable.

The more famous Rick, 59, is one of a new breed of British celebrity cooks with numerous BBC television shows and at least a dozen cookbooks under his belt. His older -- and, he says, "brainier" -- brother, John, 65, is an Oxford professor whose research suggests that many aspects of our mood and behavior depend upon whether our brains receive the right nutrients -- particularly the omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, such as salmon, tuna and bluefish.

Rick and John Stein are not strangers to U.S. shores. One of Rick's recent projects was to produce an encyclopedic book of seafood recipes and techniques that would be just as useful in Pembroke Pines as in Padstow, the Cornish fishing port (now dubbed "Padstein") where he runs four restaurants, a seafood cookery school and a 33-bedroom hotel.

The result of that effort, Rick Stein's Complete Seafood, won the James Beard Foundation's 2005 cookbook of the year award. And Rick now concedes that Maine lobsters are every bit as good as the Cornish ones he sells.

Brother John's findings that seafood amounts to a kind of brain food have been a more difficult sell. "I've been accused," he says, "of peddling snake oil" -- a charge he relishes, because snake oil is rich in the very nutrients he views as necessary. Over the past 10 years, a series of clinical trials at Oxford and elsewhere on so-called "neurodevelopmental" diseases -- from dyslexia to schizophrenia -- suggest that some people who are vulnerable to these illnesses show startling improvements after eating diets rich in omega-3.

And while a recent report in the British Medical Journal calls into question the health benefits of fish oils -- and particularly their cardiovascular benefits -- results similar to the ones Stein touts have emerged from mental health studies in this country, including trials at the National Institutes of Health.

So Rick introduces the joys of "fresh fish simply cooked," and John recalls our own semi-aquatic origins. We once lived in a habitat teeming with fish, he says, and the fatty acids they contain were incorporated into our nerve membranes, enabling our brains to function more efficiently and eventually making Homo sapiens the smartest member of the animal kingdom.

It all seems to make so much sense that one cannot help but wonder if the basis for the Steins' current act was formed early on. John the scientist was quick to offer up a hypothesis: Following World War II when food was in short supply, the British government gave free supplements of cod liver oil to pregnant mothers and their children. Chef Rick remembers hating the taste, but their mother dosed them with it anyway. "And that," says John, "is why we're so clever."

Sun Sentinal Florida

[New Sea Creatures Found In Hawaii]

New Sea Creatures Found in Hawaii

HONOLULU -- Researchers on a three-week mission to the remote French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands discovered 100 species never seen in the area before, including many that may be entirely new to science.

"There were lots of organisms that people were saying, 'Wow! What's that?'" said Joel Martin, a zoologist for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Researchers returned from the voyage Sunday with at least 1,000 species of invertebrates, including worms, crabs and sea stars. About 160 unique species of seaweed were also found.

Among the discoveries are multicolored worms; a bright purple, foot-long sea star; and a hermit crab that dons a sea anemone and sports shiny golden claws.

More species may still be found in the water and sand samples that will be studied at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

Additional studies will determine how well the area's ecosystem is being managed and what threats it faces.

"It was a very successful expedition by almost any criterion, and the discovery has really only just begun," Martin said.

The project is part of the Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the International Census of Marine Life.

[Recipes For The Dreaded Carp]

Give me a nice stinky pike or a boney Seargent Baker any day.......... even sweep get a look in!!!!

Yes, I have tried them done by good middle european cooks, if I want that taste again Ill roll some sunlight soap in my bait and cook it up...................... UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Recipes For The Dreaded Carp]

I just did some reading on carp in Australia.

They don't have very many positives going for them.

The sooner we eradicate this pest, the better, but it all seems too late by the looks.

I also notice they are known carriers of disease which, while not impacting on

humans eating them, carry a parasite, the Anchor Worm which affects other native fish.

Have a read of this paper written by Paul Brown, Narrandera Fisheries Centre.

It will sure put you off carp forever.

http://www.irysec.vic.edu.au/sci/introduced/carpfact.html

It sure put me off the buggers.

Pete.

[Newbie Saying Hi]

Thunder.

Yes, this site has more info than you could ever wish for as

far as fishing goes...and it's getting bigger and better every day.

Enjoy your time here and don't be afraid to ask questions, as there

are some very skilled fishos posting here who will be glad to answer your questions.

Pete.

[Friday Fishy News - October 27]

A follow up on that bird eating pelican:

From The BBC:

Pelican's pigeon meal not so rare

A pelican who found himself in the news after scooping up and eating a pigeon in a London park may not have been behaving as unusually as it first seemed.

The pelican's snacking antics made headlines when he was caught on camera by a professional photographer snapping wildlife pictures in St James's Park.

The RSPB said it was "almost unheard of" for a pelican to eat a bird, with their diet usually being strictly fish.

But it has emerged that pelicans scoffing birds may not be as rare an occurrence as first believed.

'Bit of struggling'

Pelicans have lived in the park - near Buckingham Palace - for more than 300 years, having been introduced when the Russian ambassador presented some to King Charles II in 1664.

There are currently five pelicans living in the 58 acre (23 hectare) park, all bred in captivity, four of them from eastern Europe and one from Louisiana in the US.

They are fed 12lb (5.4kg) of fish a day, plus a vitamin supplement, with the daily afternoon feeding time advertised as a visitor attraction.

The Eastern White pelican who had a pigeon for lunch made the front page of national newspapers as well as being reported by the BBC, after being snapped by Press Association photographer Cathal McNaughton.

The coverage on the BBC News website - which was among last week's most-read stories on the site - prompted a number of emails from readers saying they had seen pelicans eat birds in the park before.

Alex Worrall said he saw a pelican in the park eat a duck about 20 years ago, while John Stather said he saw two of the birds eat pigeons at the same time six years ago.

Mr Stather said: "First of all one pelican grabbed a pigeon, and then one of the others did exactly the same.

"There was a bit of struggling and the pelicans filled their bills with water to drown or wash the pigeon down.

"So it has clearly happened before and presumably will again."

A film of a pelican eating a pigeon, posted on the internet before last week's incident, can be seen on a number of video-sharing websites, appearing to back-up their claims.

Louise Wood, spokeswoman for the Royal Parks, admitted the birds did sometimes stray from their more natural menu choices of fish.

She said: "These birds will naturally devour other items that appear food-like to them - in this case, a pigeon.

"Although the RSPB is correct in stating that the main diet of pelicans is fish in the wild, birds used to human contact tend to be much more opportunistic.

"We don't have figures for how often it happens, but it can happen.

"Having chatted with those that are in close contact with the pelicans, they say their behaviour is very different when they are in this sort of semi-urban environment to when they are in the wild.

"They can eat birds, or possibly left over dinners - so we do particularly ask that people don't feed the pelicans or the pigeons."

Ms Wood apologised to anyone distressed by the pelican eating the pigeon and said the park had never had to get rid of a bird which had eaten the wrong thing.

"Were they regarded as a danger to the public it would be a different matter.

"But nature is cruel - it's quite hard to control what is the natural instinct of chase and feed."

[Mystery Of Florida's Giant Jumping Sturgeon Solved?]

Mystery of Florida's Giant Jumping Sturgeon Solved?

t's a quiet Friday morning on the Suwannee River in northwestern Florida, when a giant fish suddenly leaps six feet (two meters) out of the water and crashes back into the river.

The stunt is performed by a Gulf sturgeon, a giant fish that traces its roots back to the days of the dinosaurs and can grow up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) long and weigh up to 200 pounds (91 kilograms).

Every few minutes over the next hour, more sturgeons reproduce the feat.

Why the sturgeons jump has been the topic of a long-standing debate. Some scientists have suggested they do it to avoid predators; others have proposed that they do it simply for fun.

Ken Sulak, a biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey in Gainesville, Florida, thinks he has found the answer.

The sounds jumping sturgeons make are distinct from the sounds of other jumping fish, Sulak says. He believes the jumping is a form of communication that sturgeons use to connect with larger groups and maintain community cohesion.

"I think of sturgeon-jumping sounds as being equivalent to cows mooing—announcing to the larger group the presence and position of individuals," Sulak said.

"Still Get a Thrill"

A subspecies of the Atlantic sturgeon, Gulf sturgeons are found in the coastal rivers of the Gulf of Mexico. The Suwannee River, which runs from southern Georgia through northern Florida, contains the largest population of Gulf sturgeons.

[Recipes For The Dreaded Carp]

Pete apparently that programme was a dreadful failure with all the participants agreeing they taste like carp..

Its funny i have a pommy mate who owns a fishing club .. A lake where members in England can go and fish for carp.. They pay good money for the privelage, They have landing mats and they have to weigh and photograph the carp before releasing them unharmed , each fish is worth up to 2000 quid.

Thanks Daniel. I have never tried carp (and probably don't intend to either) and I can see why

the Govt. Carp program was ditched.

Just the thought of eating them would put most people off 'em.

Anyway, apparently they are considered somewhat of a delicacy in Asia, so perhaps the demand

from there will one day help us get rid of these pests.

Pete.

[Salmon Cutlets With Radish And Yogurt Sauce]

Salmon Cutlets with Radish and Yogurt Sauce

(Salmon cutlets can also be substituted with Kingfish or Swordfish)

The pungency of the sauce is a fine complement to the richness of salmon. This recipe can easily be halved to serve two.

2 cups low fat natural yogurt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 spring onions, finely chopped 2 teaspoon lemon juice

10 small radishes, trimmed and chopped 2 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil

2 tablespoon prepared horseradish 4 salmon, swordfish or kingfish cutlets

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (about 125 g each)

lemon wedges (optional)

Preheat the griller and lightly grease the rack. In a medium sized bowl, combine the yogurt, spring onions, radishes, horseradish, cumin and half the pepper; mix well and put aside.

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil and remaining pepper and brush the mixture over both sides of te salmon cutlets. Place the cutlets on the griller rack and grill 10 to 12 cm from the heat for 2-3 mins on each side or until the salmon is opaque when cut near the centre.

Serve on warm plates, garnished with the lemon wedges, if you like, with the sauce alongside. Serves 4.

[Baked Kingfish And Mushrooms]

Baked Kingfish and Mushrooms

Prep Time: 12 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Ready in: 17 mins

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil

400 grams mixed mushrooms, chopped (brown, shiitake, oyster, button)

4 kingfish fillets

1 cup fish stock

2 cloves garlic crushed

½ bunch flat leaf parsley

pinch sea salt

cracked black pepper

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Heat the oil in a pan and add garlic and mushrooms. Cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add the stock and the seasoning and simmer for a further 4 minutes. Set aside.

Method:

Brush the kingfish fillets with olive oil and in a non-stick pan sear the fish (skin side first) for 1 minute. Turn it over and sear the other side for 30 seconds. Transfer the fish to a baking tray and place in the oven for 3 - 4 minutes.

While the fish is in the oven reheat the mushrooms and add the parsley.

Serve the fish on top of a bed of mushrooms and accompany the dish with some lightly steamed English spinach.

Makes 4 servings

[Down-under Salmon With Citrus Saffron Sauce Over Greens]

Down-Under Salmon With Citrus Saffron Sauce over Greens

by Chef Kate

25 min 25 min prep

For the Fish

2 (1/2 lb) salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

6 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon native australian fresh ginger, sliced thinly (or ginger available locally)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

3/4 teaspoon australian mountain pepper (or Szechwan peppercorns, crushed)

For the Greens

2 lbs australian warrigal greens (or spinach, washed and trimmed)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup australian bunya nuts, chopped (or Macadamia nuts)

1. For the salmon:

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

3. Sauté spring onions, garlic and ginger in olive oil on medium-high heat until soft. Add saffron and fruit juices, then cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.

4. Add sugar and stir until the crystals dissolve.

5. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow baking dish, skin side down.

6. Pour the fruit juice mixture over the salmon.

7. Sprinkle the Australian mountain pepper (or Szechwan peppercorns) on top, with a pinch of salt.

8. Bake for 12 minutes.

9. For the greens:

10. Sauté the garlic for one minute on high heat.

11. Add the greens (either Australian warrigal or American spinach) by handfuls.

12. Sauté the greens for 8 minutes or until tender.

13. Serve the salmon on a plate next to the cooked greens, and garnish the greens with chopped Bunya or Macadamia nuts.

[Flathead Fillets Tahitian]

Flathead fillets Tahitian

Chef: Bonita Brown

Degree of difficulty: Medium

You need:

Flathead fillets (I usually use two per person)

Bananas

Grated nutmeg (optional)

Cheese to melt (I prefer mozzarella)

Chopped flatleaf parsley to serve

Method:

Fillet the fish with a good quality and very sharp filleting knife. Taking care to cut the flesh from around the bones that surround the gill flaps and stomach cavity. Even with the best filleting technique expect some bones to remain in this part of the fish fillet.

These bones are called pin bones and can be teased out with a pair of fish tweezers. Its essential to remove these as we are going to cover our fish with sliced bananas and grated cheese and obviously don't want our guests biting into a fine bone from the onset.

Another way around these pin bones is to cut the fillet along the lateral line and only use the top portion, this may seem wasteful but ensures no bones. If you choose this method select larger fillets.

Obviously if you have purchased fillets most of these bones will have been removed but take care still to check for the pin bones. Running the tip of your finger along the lateral line towards the butt end of the fillet (where the head would have been) should find them. If the bought fillets have the fill flap attached these have to be removed.

Next, skin the fillets.

Pat dry with paper towel and lightly season with salt and pepper if desired. Set aside together on a greased baking dish. (Butter is the preferred medium, but dietary considerations can mean a substitute like canola oil)

Next slice the bananas, on the diagonal, medium thickness and cover along the fillets. Option here is a very light sprinkle on the banana with grated nutmeg.

Next cover the fillets and bananas with your favourite grated melting variety of cheese.

Take care to cover the fillets evenly and completely.

Bake in a pre heated (175 degrees C) until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden. If baked too long the cheese will be crusted and not the right texture. Chances are the fish will be overcooked as well.

The actual cooking times may vary slightly with the dish depending on how thick the fillets of fish are, how thin you slice the bananas and how much cheese if covering the fish and bananas. A little experimentation and practice will ensure great results.

Sprinkle with a little coarse chopped flat leaved parsley and serve.

Serving Suggestion: A glass of crisp, chilled Riesling goes wonderfully well with this dish. As does plain boiled rice and a fresh green salad.

[Baked Bream With Asian Flavours]

Baked bream with Asian flavours

Chef: Wendy Taylor

from Byron Bay Cooking School

Serves 4

Degree of difficulty: Low

You need:

4 good plate sized very fresh bream

4 kaffir lime leaves

macadamia oil

¼ roasted macadamia nuts

½ cup carrot cut into matchsticks

½ cup green shallots cut into thin strips

6 snow peas cut diagonally into thin slices

2 large red chillies cut into thin strips – or to taste

2 tablespoons finely shredded ginger – or to taste

wedges of pumpkin – baked

coriander leaves

sauce

4 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons castor sugar

1 tablespoon macadamia oil

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and stir until sugar is dissolved. Put aside.

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Brush pumpkin wedges with oil and cook for 15 minutes.

Put two deep slashes diagonally on each side of the fish and brush with the oil and insert pieces of lime leaf. Place fish on lightly oiled tray and put in the over to cook for 12 - 15 minutes. While cooking add the carrot, shallots, peas, chilli and ginger to the sauce.

Serving Suggestion:

Place a fishes on the plates, and pour over the vegetable mix, then scatter with the roasted macadamia nuts and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with a bowl of pumpkin wedges

[Looks Like A Prawn/fish Shortage Coming At Xmas]

Prices soar as stocks of fish dry up

SHOPPERS will pay more than $50 a kilogram for fresh king prawns this Christmas.

Fish prices across the board will also go up about $4 or $5 a kilogram because, like prawns, the catch is well down.

North Coast fishermen blame the drought and high diesel prices and say competition from imports doesn't help.

The drought on the land has resulted in the failure of the southern estuaries - such as the Hawkesbury, Nepean, Hunter and Shoalhaven rivers and Wallis Lakes - to discharge nutrients and young fish and prawns into the ocean.

Coffs Harbour Fishermen's Co-operative general manager Phillip Neuss said that, usually, there was a reasonable catch of prawns but the tonnages had dropped.

"We got 177 tonnes in 2002, 119 tonnes in 2004, 85 tonnes in 2005 and 69 tonnes this year," he said. "So the catch is 61 per cent down on the good year in 2002, a loss of about $1.8 million.

"All our catch comes from the north after being flushed out of the river systems but we are getting very little because of the drought."

In the past there had been good stocks of frozen prawns and always an ample supply of thawed product to satisfy demand but this year the amount of frozen product was small and prawns would be scarce.

Mr Neuss said: "The counteracting factor, which has hurt fishermen in the past few years, has been the import of prawns out of Asia; there will be plenty of stocks around at Christmas but it won't be our fresh eastern king."

Mr Neuss said 17 trawlers were operating out of Coffs Harbour but now only six were working; four or five were tied up and the others looking for catches elsewhere.

The picture is the same on the South Coast where the fleet at Eden has been cut from 14 to eight boats.

Members of the Twofold Bay Fishermen's Co-operative fear their co-operative may close.

[My First Bream On Sp!]

Well done Lewis.

Any chance of a pic of the new pedal powered craft?

They sound like the bees knees.

Pete.

[Fisherman Drowns At Botany Bay]

More sad new. Yet another stones fisho lost off the rocks.

It seems we get one of these almost every week now.So sad.

Pete.

Fisherman drowns at Botany Bay

A man has died after being swept off rocks while fishing at Sydney's Botany Bay.

A surf rescue helicopter retrieved the man, believed to be in his 30s, from the water around Inscription Point about 5.30pm (AEST).

He was winched to the aircraft where a doctor and paramedic tried to resuscitate him.

The man was flown to Prince of Wales Hospital but died shortly afterwards.

[Congrats To Mrsswordy!]

Congratulations Donna...That's a hellava lot of keystrokes...1000 posts.

Keep up the great work on this, the premier fishing forum in Australia.

Pete

[Pb Flattie]

Thanks for the tip Flattie.

I'll give it another go and see if I can manage that.

Can't wait for the sand dredging to finish and they open up the

lake again to the sea.

It should really liven things up in there.

Pete.

[Pb Flattie]

Nice lizzard Kbark. The lake sure has some monsters in there.

I've managed quite a few decent sized duskies lately from the lake.

Seems to have woken up all of a sudden.

I had one that went just under 60cm last week that did an impersonation of a marlin

and jumped about 3 feet out of the water when I set the hook.

I'm now getting more flatties than bream lately which is unusual.

Mine are all on pillies as I haven't mastered lures with all the weed about.

Was that old gal taken up near the creeks by any chance?

Pete.

[Eating Fish Can Help Fight Alzheimer's Disease]

Eating fish can help fight Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease affects more than 4.5 million Americans. It is caused by brain degeneration and is marked by the death of cells, particularly the cells in the basal forebrain.

These cells are the primary source of the brain chemical messenger called acetylcholine. Alzheimer's disease impairs the production of acetylcholine, one of the main chemical messengers in the brain that is important for memory and cognitive function. The number of Americans with Alzheimer’s has more than doubled since 1980 and will continue to grow. By 2050, researchers say the number of people with the disease could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.

Currently, there are five FDA-approved medications that treat cognitive symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Four of these try to boost the brain levels of acetylcholine by blocking the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. The fifth drug acts on another brain chemical. However, none of the available drugs are known to change the underlying neurobiology of the disease.

Investigators at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago successfully initiated a new technique that uses gene therapy to deliver nerve growth factor into regions of the brain where neurons are degenerating. Their hope is to prevent cell death and reverse cell atrophy, two hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

The new technique uses the drug CERE-110. CERE-110 carries the nerve growth factor (NGF) gene encased in a harmless viral coating, which protects the gene. A key objective of the study is to deliver the CERE-110 directly to the part of the brain that is almost universally affected by Alzheimer’s disease, the basal forebrain, and not to other parts of the brain where it may cause side effects.

The osteoporosis drug raloxifene (Evista) is now being tested to see if it can stop Alzheimer's disease in its tracks and/or prevent it from progressing. Evista appears to protect brain neurons against free radical inhibitors, which can be deadly to neurons. Stanford University and Indiana University researchers are enrolling patients in the trial.

A study from the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago found people who got the highest daily amount of niacin from food cut their risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Those who consumed 22.4 milligrams a day had an 80-percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s than those who consumed just 12.6 milligrams a day. One-half of a chicken breast or 3 oz. of beef will each give you 15 milligrams of niacin. Alzheimer’s disease is less common in populations that consume a lot of fish. Researchers are pointing to Omega-3 fatty acids as the reason.

A UCLA study published in the March 2005 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, reveals mice that were fed diets high in DHA -- the fish oil that seems to be so helpful -- had the healthiest brains when compared to mice that consumed normal food as well as those that consumed diets low in DHA. In fact, brain imaging showed the high-DHA diet reduced brain plaque by 40 percent. DHA is one of the Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel.

[Killer Weed Wins]

Yes, the Government is showing just how weak they are in not doing anything more

to eradicate this horrible weed.

Surely they can find the resources and funding to stop this menace

before it spreads to other waterways.

Just think if this gets into Sydney Harbour!!

They will then be shamed into not doing enough earlier to halt

the progress of this stuff.

Do something NOW, not wait until it's too late.

Flattieman's post is a good start in that we can all do our little bit to

stop it spreading.

I am just amazed that they have washed their hands of this knowing how

destructive it can be.

Pete.

[Conviction For Fishing Plain Unfair]

Conviction for fishing plain unfair

IT'S a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. But in usual bureaucratic fashion, GBRMPA is clinging to its unfair and unrealistic green zone penalties like its very existence depends upon it. When the green zone laws were drafted it is difficult to believe that its authors had ordinary fishermen in their sights.

And if they did, then they should not have been trusted with the task of drafting legislation designed to protect our fish stocks. It is more likely that in their haste to prepare laws which had enough teeth to make a difference, they did not consider the potential for the legislation to catch out far too many small players in the fishing industry and brand them social outcasts.

The story of Fred Maccarone and his grandson is a perfect – but not isolated – illustration of what is wrong with the laws.

The 77-year-old Kurrimine Beach grandfather was nabbed by a spy camera in a plane fishing inadvertently in a green zone.

Fred does not dispute that he was in the wrong, he's prepared to cop that and the fine that comes with it. But in line with the legislation, a criminal conviction was recorded against him and his previously unblemished past has been tainted forever. What makes matters worse is that he didn't even catch anything – and that only serves to make the conviction even more ridiculous. Industry experts say Fred is one of hundreds of fishers who are in the same boat.

Our special report today includes similar tales of misfortune. And the response from GBRMPA? Essentially, it was bad luck, buddy.

The law is the law. But what if the law is an ass? The legal fraternity has asked for the stiff sentences to be reconsidered but the recent review of the green zone legislation and GBRMPA itself did not make any changes to the penalties.

Federal Environment Minister Senator Ian Campbell said there had to be a balance between penalties as a deterrent and system that was fair, but that clearly does not exist right now. No one denies the need to protect fish stocks but a criminal conviction for a first offence or a misdemeanor breach by a small-time recreational fisherman is over-the-top.

It is little wonder that we have seen the birth of the Fishing Party and its 'We fish and we vote' bumper stickers. Maybe a few more anglers need to join the cause.

[Hi!]

To the forum Foxy.

Glad you joined the best fishing website in Australia.

Pete.

[Zuppa Di Pesce E Fagiolio]

Zuppa di Pesce e Fagiolio

Serves two

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small portions (about 1/3 of a filet each) of salmon

• 2 small portions (about 1/3 of a filet each) of swordfish

• 2 small portions (about a 1/3 of filet each) of red snapper

• 2 8 oz ladles of marinara sauce (preferably homemade)

• 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

• 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

• Salt, to taste

• 16 ounces white beans, soaked overnight

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a very large sauté pan, heat up about 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

2. Add the whole cloves of garlic, all of the fish filets, the white wine, one ladle of marinara sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt.

3. Bring to a simmer and sauté slowly, around 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the sauce has thickened and is fragrant.

4. Remove the cloves of garlic.

5. In another sauté pan, combine the white beans, about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the sliced onion, one ladle of marinara sauce, and salt and pepper.

6. Bring to a simmer and sauté over medium heat for at least 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes creamy and the beans are tender.

7. Spoon half of the bean mixture onto the center of a plate.

8. On top, in a circular pattern, place one each of the fish filet varieties (salmon, swordfish, and red snapper).

9. Spoon a little extra sauce on top and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley.

10. Repeat on a second dish with the remaining beans and fish.

[Family Punters Club]

G`day Fellas ,

Todays Bets are In Melb .

Parlay .....5.oo Place

Race....7......NO.....1....Casual Pass

Race....8......NO.....3....Celtic Bloom

Race....10....NO....11...Finnis SEa

Race ...8.......$10.... WIN......13...... SAFWA

RACE....9......$10.....WIN......13.......BROCKMANS LASS

Good Luck with Whatever You are on.

Mick

G'day Mick.

Mine today are:

Melbourne.

Place Parlay

Race 1 #4 Punxatawney Phil

Race 5 #6 Antidotes

Race 6 #10 Accumulate

Race 8 # 6 Valkyrie Diva

$5 each way Race 8 #11 Pin Up

Good Luck.

Pete