Is There Danger In Eating Freshly Caught Fish?

QUESTION: Is there any danger in eating freshly caught fish this spring and
summer?
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ANSWER: Well we all know about the mercury tainted waters and the carcinogens
in the air we breathe. We seem to be a people bent on the destruction of our
natural environment. But one of the dangers in eating certain fish has
nothing to do with the pollution of their habitat. The fish affected are
tuna, albacore, mackerel, bonito, dolphin, bluefish, and some other darkmeated
fish. The disease associated with eating such fish is called scombroid
poisoning, its name derived from scombridae, meaning mackerel-like fish. The
poisoning has been linked to restaurant-prepared meals and canned tuna, as
well as freshly caught fish. What seems to happen is that the amino acid
histidine, abundant in darkmeated fish, is converted to histamine when these
fish are improperly handled and refrigeration is delayed. And we all know
what histamine causes in our bodies--a full-blown allergic reaction. Symptoms
of scombroid poisoning are like an acute allergic reaction. Facial flushing,
a burning of the mouth and throat, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, abdominal
cramps, headaches, and skin rashes can occur. So do take care when fishing
this summer that you refrigerate the varieties we've mentioned immediately.