Edbear
28th May 2008, 13:19
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Summary | Newstalk ZB | NZPA
Wednesday May 28, 11:31 AM
Poachers risk fishy problem
Thieves who poached fish from a Northland research centre may have bitten off more than they can chew, as some have been dosed with hormones as part of a sex reversal study.
Scientists from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) aquaculture centre at Ruakaka, south of Whangarei, have warned against eating the fish, The Northern Advocate said yesterday.
Hormones including oestrogen and other veterinary medicines have been injected into the kingfish, while an 8kg hapuku dosed with chlorine, formalin and peroxide is also missing from the centre's quarantine and disease investigation unit.
Niwa regional manager Michael Stobart said it was difficult to say what would happen if the fish were eaten, `but eating too much kingfish treated for sex reversal is the most scary aspect of it".
"We don't give the fish large doses, but the medicines we give them render them unfit for human consumption."
Thieves came over a two metre barbed-wire topped fence on Friday.
Mr Stobart said people had tried to enter the facility in the past, but this was believed to be the first time fish had been stolen.
Summary | Newstalk ZB | NZPA
Wednesday May 28, 11:31 AM
Poachers risk fishy problem
Thieves who poached fish from a Northland research centre may have bitten off more than they can chew, as some have been dosed with hormones as part of a sex reversal study.
Scientists from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) aquaculture centre at Ruakaka, south of Whangarei, have warned against eating the fish, The Northern Advocate said yesterday.
Hormones including oestrogen and other veterinary medicines have been injected into the kingfish, while an 8kg hapuku dosed with chlorine, formalin and peroxide is also missing from the centre's quarantine and disease investigation unit.
Niwa regional manager Michael Stobart said it was difficult to say what would happen if the fish were eaten, `but eating too much kingfish treated for sex reversal is the most scary aspect of it".
"We don't give the fish large doses, but the medicines we give them render them unfit for human consumption."
Thieves came over a two metre barbed-wire topped fence on Friday.
Mr Stobart said people had tried to enter the facility in the past, but this was believed to be the first time fish had been stolen.