Benefits of eating fish

IT is so nice to live in one of the most enjoyable climates in Queensland here in Gin Gin.

We do get heatwaves, we do get frosts, we do have droughts and we do have floods, but generally we have sunny days and temperatures in the 20s. This is a big influence for southern holiday-makers and anglers to make the trip north to thaw out over winter. Do take note that our barramundi in Lake Monduran don’t hitch hike to Cape York for winter, rather they are still here waiting to challenge the visiting anglers.

Technique and lures are different from summer but some of the bigger fish can become more aggressive towards certain lures and soft plastics. Give me a call and see what is biting where or call in for a five to 10-minute run-down on technique and location.

In this article I am going to talk about something a little out of the ordinary. Yes it’s about fish but not fishing. It’s the benefits of eating fish!

First, I must express that if you are going to eat the fish you capture, please take particular note of the way to humanely kill and store your catch. The best way to euthanise your fish and store it is simple, easy and a one-step method. Take your legal size catch and place it into an Esky full of ice. It’s simple and quick and the fish will have a painless death, while your future meal is kept fresh and free from harmful bacteria.

Now, that wasn’t hard or painful for you or the fish, so let’s move on to some of the benefits of eating fish. Fish is among the healthiest food on the planet and it contains the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is important for our brain and body. Other properties include high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals and iodine. Some fish are more packed with nutrients than others, in particular the fatty types such as salmon, trout, sardines, tuna and mackerel.

Catfish, however, are not regarded as fatty fish and are eaten all over the world. Regardless of the type of catfish, they are considered omnivores with a wide-ranging diet including plants, insects, shellfish, reptiles, other fish and even small land animals. Catfish are packed with more than a dozen vitamins and a similar number of minerals as well as omega-3 and 6 and an array of nutrients. Having such a natural multivitamin within their body, eating catfish can greatly assist with the healthy function of the brain, eyes, heart, bones and immune system, with catfish listed as one of the best choices of fish to consume.

If you catch a catfish and accidentally get stung by the spines, the slime secreted by the catfish has 60 different proteins to help the healing of the wound in humans and other animals.

Now for the benefits of eating fish:

• Healthy brain and eye development for expecting and nursing mothers;
• Slower rate of cognitive decline of the brain, like Alzheimer’s disease;
• Improves grey matter that regulates emotion and memory;
• Makes you happier and less likely to suffer depression;
• Reduces autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes;
• Lowers the risk of developing asthma in children;
• Protects vision, especially against macular degeneration;
• Improves sleep, which is paramount to the body’s functions; and
• Not a health benefit – but it is delicious and extremely easy to prepare.

I could go on but I think you have the idea: eating fish and shellfish can remarkably improve our health and give us better quality of life from pre-birth all the way to our last days. On a personal note, I was in hospital for four days in the Philippines a few months ago and every meal while I was in there contained fish, so I can see why my recovery was so rapid thanks to natural nutrients in addition to the medicines.

Remember when out fishing for some of these culinary delicacies that you abide by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries regulations. Check the fisheries.qld.gov.au website before you go, as it’s better to be sure than broke.

Any further information I can help you with, please call in to Barra Havoc located at 26 Mulgrave St Gin Gin, between the fire station and Tyrepower, or visit our website barratackle.com.au

Enjoy these cooler months for pleasurable fishing. Go wet a line!