The Black Sea scorpion is beautiful and dangerous. What to do with a prick of a scorpionfish Pricked a sea ruff

26.10.2019

In such seas as the Sea of Azov and the Black, among all the inhabitants of the underwater world, one can meet a formidable-looking fish - a sea ruff or, in a different way, a scorpionfish. This fish really has a frightening appearance and looks like a sea monster.

A description of the appearance, what it eats, how it reproduces and where this interesting fish lives will be described in this article.

Features of the sea ruff

Sea ruff belongs to the fish of the scorpion family, which, in turn, belong to the ray-finned fish. The scorpionfish order includes 209 species belonging to 20 genera. These fish prefer reservoirs of tropical and temperate seas and oceans. Mostly sea ruff lives in the Indian and Pacific Ocean. The genus Scorpion, which includes about 60 species, lives in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The fish prefers to live at the bottom and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

In Russia, scorpionfish can be found in 2 types: noticeable and Black Sea. It is difficult to distinguish between these species. The only difference is the presence of a black spot on the dorsal fin of a conspicuous scorpionfish. And in the Black Sea scorpionfish, the only difference is the longer processes located above the eyes, which resemble rag patches. In the conspicuous scorpion, these processes are shorter. Ruffs live in the Black Sea water, the mouth of the Shapsuho River, as well as in the Sea of Azov. In appearance, the scorpionfish is similar to the river ruff, which is why its second name is the sea ruff.

Appearance

This representative of the underwater world has a small body size that reaches 150–200 mm. Very rarely, some types of sea ruffs can reach 500 mm.

The Black Sea scorpionfish reaches 300 mm and weighs 1,000 grams. A noticeable scorpionfish has a length of up to 150 mm and a weight of 200-300 grams.

Scorpion is a predatory fish species. The diet of the sea ruff includes small fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans. Ruff, hunting, lies motionless and waits for the victim to swim closer to him, and then the fish makes its throw and catches the prey.

The appearance of the scorpion is really scary:

The body of the sea ruff is elongated and compressed in the lateral region.
The surface of the body is covered with small and rough scales.
The fin has the most formidable appearance, because it consists of sharp spines.
The head is large and covered with a large number of spines and outgrowths.
The mouth is large with wide lips.
It has a mottled color. Against the background of a brown color scheme of various colors, there are stripes and specks of a dark shade. The same spots can be seen on the fins.

scorpion thorns

At the base of the spines that cover the body of the sea ruff pass two grooves containing a poisonous substance. The thorns of the scorpionfish are arranged in much the same way as the teeth of snakes. The scorpion uses its menacing spines and venom only for protection in case of danger.

When the fish defends itself, it plunges its spines into the body of the enemy and injects a poisonous liquid into the resulting wound. The injection site swells after a while and begins to bring severe pain, which resembles the pain of a wasp sting. Sometimes in addition to pain and swelling the person may vomit and sweat profusely. If a sea ruff has stung a person’s body numerous times, then in rare cases even a fatal outcome is possible.

First aid for a prick of a sea ruff

If a person was pricked by a sea ruff, the following steps must be taken:

Determine the injection site and remove a piece of the thorn.
It is necessary to make sure that the injection site bleeds for as long as possible. This will eliminate further ingress of poisonous liquid and its spread throughout the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to squeeze the blood out of the wound as long as possible.
It should be treated, the affected area with hot or sea water. If you have hydrogen peroxide on hand, it is best to disinfect the wound with it.
Seek medical attention for professional help, even if the injection site no longer bothers you.

They catch scorpionfish near the shore. The most successful places for fishing are berths, piers, rocks, as well as shores, where there is a bottom with large stones and dense vegetation. In such places, the scorpion hunts, so it is quite easy to find it among the algae bushes and in the crevices of stones.

Scorpion fish can be caught on a hook throughout the year, but fishermen prefer to hunt sea ruffs in the summer. The fish are most active at night. There are no special requirements for gear - they can be very different. The best option would be: spinning with installation of bottom gear, as well as a marine circle.

Bait for sea ruff

Bait for scorpion fish is used in rare cases. Any bait, for example: sea ruff will collect crushed mussel shells in a short period of time. You can use small pieces of horse mackerel.

For catching scorpion as bait, use:

Chicken and fish fillet.
Boiled shrimp.
Squid meat.
Fresh shrimps.
Small pieces of fish caught recently.

The appetite of the scorpionfish is excellent, so it grabs prey, which can exceed its size. The sea ruff is not afraid of spinning rings, and thanks to its voracity, it quickly falls on the hook.

Both with the help of spinning and with the help of a sea circle, scorpion fish are caught in a plumb line. If fishing takes place with the help of spinning, then you need to lower the bet to the very bottom, choose the slack, and then stretch and wait for the bite. If the fish is caught, then the fisherman first feels short-term constrictions, and then a strong jerk occurs. With such signs, you can’t hesitate, otherwise the scorpionfish will hide under the nearest boulder and then the bet will end, and you will be left without a catch.

If a marine circle is used, then you should lower the ring to the very bottom and then leave the tackle for about 20 minutes. In this case, you don’t have to worry that the fish will leave, because the ring and small leashes will not allow it to go a long distance and hook, and then break the tackle on the stones.

How to take a sea ruff off the hook

Retrieving a caught scorpion fish is easy, but you should be aware of safety precautions and make sure that the spike does not injure the skin.

The poisonous spines of the scorpionfish are located:

At the base of the rays of the dorsal fin.
On the ventral fin at the base of the first ray.
At the base of the three rays of the anal fin.

To remove the sea ruff from the hook, you need to press it with the handle of the rod and grab it with pliers by the lower lip. Then, in order not to get hurt on the spikes, they are cut with scissors. Further, the fish, without any threat to the health of the fisherman, is removed from the hook.

Sea ruff in the kitchen

Despite the fact that the scorpionfish looks frightening, its juicy, white meat with a sweetish taste - considered a real delicacy. But it should be remembered that when cleaning the caught fish, safety precautions should be observed, otherwise you can get hurt by her thorns. From sea ruff you can cook a large number of delicious dishes. Her fried, boiled, dried, used in jellied dishes and soups. Most often this fish baked in foil, as well as prepare the ear. They say that the ruff ear has a special taste.

An interesting fact is that the meat of the sea ruff, in addition to its excellent taste, affects men's health. Therefore, for male fishermen and underwater hunters, the Black Sea scorpion is always a welcome prey.

Scorpion is a genus of fish that belongs to the scorpion family. Latin name Scorpaena.

This fish has a large head, somewhat compressed on the sides and armed with spikes. In addition, there are leathery appendages in the form of tentacles on the head. She has a large mouth with a slanted slit. There are velvety teeth on the jaws and on the vomer.

Scales of medium size. The dorsal fin has 12-13 spiny and 9 soft rays, and the anal fin has 3 spiny and 5 soft rays. The pectoral fins have no separate rays, the lower ones are thickened. The scorpionfish lacks a swim bladder.

In the world, there are approximately 40 species of scorpions living in tropical and warm seas.

Scorpionfish are fish with a repulsive appearance.

These are rather lazy creatures, spending most of their time hiding in the sand or between stones among plants, waiting in such an ambush for prey, which become small fish. The pectoral fins help these fish to burrow into the sand and crawl along the bottom. The coloration of scorpions is quite diverse, and not only in different individuals of the same species, but even in the same fish. In general, it is a mixture of different colors - yellow, red, brown and black. Scorpionfish are not large and are rarely longer than 30 cm and weigh no more than 500 grams.

The Black Sea scorpionfish lives in the Black Sea, or, as it is also called, the Black Sea sea ruff, the Latin name of which is Scorpaena porcus. It was this fish that gave its name to the entire large scorpion family. In addition to the Black Sea, it can also be found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea along the African and European coasts. Sometimes found in the Sea of Azov. It prefers to stay in the coastal zone, where it lies in wait for prey, lying on the bottom. The main menu of scorpionfish is small fish and crustaceans.

When a gaping fish or a large crustacean is at a distance of 10-15 cm from the sea ruff, it makes a sharp jerk, while opening its mouth wide, and literally sucks the prey along with the water. And in order to camouflage well in anticipation of a potential dinner, he needs such a camouflage coloration, which we described above. The scorpionfish also has a property that is extremely rare for fish - it sheds. This happens with a frequency of approximately once every 28 days. At the same time, the upper tarnished layer of the skin of the scorpion sheds off, and a new one with a brighter color appears in its place. Scorpion shed their skin just like snakes - like a cover.

The scorpionfish is able to hunt only moving objects, which the lateral line organs help it to detect, most of all development in the head area. With the help of these organs, the scorpion can catch water currents created by any moving object. Thanks to this property, the scorpionfish can successfully hunt even at night. If the caught object is not of food interest for the scorpionfish, then it spits it out. A scorpionfish defends itself from enemies with the help of its thorns, and their injection can be very painful for a person.

Scorpionfish hunt only moving prey.

Spawning by scorpions is carried out in small portions, each enclosed in a transparent mucous membrane. These peculiar balloons of mucus float to the surface of the water. By the time the larvae are ready to hatch, the balloons disintegrate and the eggs are released from the common shell. For some time, and for a very short time, the hatched juveniles stay in the water column, after which they descend to the bottom, where the scorpions continue their life. Little sea ruff is caught, mostly it comes across with other fish.

Scorpio- predatory bottom marine fish of the scorpion family, leading a sedentary lifestyle in the coastal strip of the Black Sea with depths of up to 50 meters. For the resemblance to their freshwater counterparts, river ruffs, the scorpionfish got its second informal name - sea ruff. In addition to the double name, this fish is the bearer of several more mysteries of nature.

Scorpion does not belong to commercial fish. It is usually caught by amateur fishermen, although it attracts them not so much with its size, but with the taste of the fish soup obtained from it.

Two species of this fish are found in the Black Sea: the Black Sea scorpionfish, reaching a length of 30 centimeters and a weight of 1 kilogram, and a noticeable scorpionfish - up to 15 centimeters with a mass of 200-300 grams. It is very difficult to distinguish them from each other, not everyone can immediately determine what kind of fish they have in their hands: a conspicuous scorpionfish that has reached full maturity or a young Black Sea scorpionfish?

The only acceptable sign for anglers to distinguish between the two species is the presence of a conspicuous characteristic large black spot on the dorsal fin. There is another sign: in the Black Sea scorpionfish, the supraorbital processes, similar to rag patches, are much longer than in the conspicuous scorpionfish. But this difference, in my opinion, is more within the competence of ichthyologists, because hardly any amateur will want to run around the boat with a ruler to establish the truth of what kind of fish he caught.

Where and when is the scorpionfish caught?

Catching scorpionfish from the shore, unlike catching it from a boat at sea, does not involve high costs, special skills and efforts, and therefore is very popular with both boys and experienced ruffers.

The most convenient places are piers, piers, breakwaters, rocks, stone embankments or banks, especially where near these places there are large and small boulders on the bottom, overgrown with aquatic vegetation. Scorpionfish in such areas keep in crevices and in algae bushes, waiting and hunting from ambush for small fish and crustaceans (greenfinches, gobies, shrimps, crabs).

Scorpionfish are caught on hooks all year round, but for a number of reasons, the main of which is a comfortable temperature, fishermen prefer to catch it in the summer. This fish is most active at night.

With a good bite, and it starts at sunset, you can sit all night long. I will tell you without too much modesty: last summer, after spending three hours fishing from ten in the evening until one in the morning, I caught about two dozen scorpions of various sizes on spinning and a sea circle.

Tackle for catching scorpionfish

The scorpion fish is not the type of fish that requires a lot of tinkering with gear to catch. Now there are many different tackles, but based on my personal experience, I will share with you only two: spinning with mounting bottom tackle and a marine circle. In my opinion, they are the most optimal for catching this predatory fish, they are simple and easy to use and at the same time very effective.

Spinning
Installation of bottom gear:
light rod up to three meters long;
classic inertial coil "Nevskaya" or any reliable inertialess coil;
main fishing line with a diameter of 0.3-0.35 millimeters;
one bead;
carbine;
bid.

The bead must necessarily be larger in diameter than the circumference of the tulip, so that in the dark, when winding the fishing line, to prevent frequent hits of the bet in the rings. The stake is a fishing line with a diameter of 0.16-0.25 millimeters with hooks No. 5-9 located on it on two leashes 5-7 centimeters long and with a sinker at the end. The distance between the leashes is 15 centimeters.

Marine circle
The design is a metal ring with a diameter of 25 centimeters or a hoop bent from thick wire with small incisions previously made on it. The number of files depends on the number of leads and serves to fix them rigidly on the circumference. 4-5 leashes 15 centimeters long with hooks No. 5-9 are tied in a circle. A strong twine is attached directly to the ring. Line reserve is calculated based on the height of the structure above sea level from which you are fishing and the depth at the place of fishing.

Bait for scorpionfish

Bait and bait when catching this fish are used extremely rarely. Although even the simplest bait in the form of crushed shells of mollusks such as mussels and rapana will collect scorpions from all over the area pretty quickly. Also, small fish cut into steaks, for example, horse mackerel, is well suited as a bait.

As nozzles, as a rule, boiled shrimp, squid meat, chicken and fish fillets are used. But still, scorpion fish, despite the large assortment of baits, most often prefers fresh shrimp or sliced freshly caught fish.

The voracity of the scorpionfish is amazing: it is not at all afraid of large pieces of meat or fish on hooks. Thanks to its huge mouth with a far forward lower jaw, it is able to grab and hold prey that is larger than it is.

Stories about insatiable sea ruffs are known everywhere. I heard one of these from a diver friend of mine. It turns out that during the next dive in one of the crevices of the underwater stone, he noticed a scorpionfish, in the throat of which a rulena stuck out, similar in size to it. Everything would be fine, well, I caught myself a fish for lunch, well, what's wrong with that. But it was not there! For another two days, my friend had to observe this picture, and only on the third day the ruff swallowed his victim and remained lying in the same crevice as if nothing had happened.

fishing technique

The technique of catching scorpion fish with tackle such as spinning with mounting and a sea circle is extremely simple. They catch with these tackles exclusively in a plumb line: in the first case, they lower the bet to the bottom, choose the slack and, having made a stretch, expect bites; in the second - lowering the ring on the twine to the bottom, leave the tackle for 15-20 minutes.

When fishing on spinning, the bite of a scorpionfish is felt as a series of short-term pulls, and then a significant jerk. The fisherman absolutely does not need to bother thinking about when the scorpion pecks at the circle, she eagerly takes the nozzle and rarely lets her go.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that when fishing on a spinning rod, delay in hooking can allow the scorpion fish to hide under a stone or in a crevice, and then a break in the rate is inevitable. As for the circle, you don’t have to worry about this, since the fish is self-securing, and the ring and short leashes will not allow it to go far into the stones and tightly hook the tackle.

Removing a scorpion fish from the water is quite simple, but once it is on the shore, the fisherman's troubles are just beginning. And here, more than ever, the well-known proverb comes in handy: “Take the ruff off the hook slowly.”

Safety precautions when removing the scorpionfish from the hook

The caught fish is released from the hook with great care so as not to prick on the poisonous spines. And she has not many and not few of them, but only one accidentally not noticed by you can cause unbearable pain. To prevent this from happening, I will bring you up to date, delving a little into ichthyology.

The poisonous apparatus of the scorpionfish is represented by poisonous glands located at the base of each ray of the anterior part of the dorsal fin, the first ray of the ventral fin, and the first three rays of the anal fin. (see photo)

How many fishermen, there are so many ways to extract hooks from the mouth of a scorpionfish. Without entering into polemics with anyone about the originality of certain methods, I will describe only one, from my point of view, the safest.

Pressing the scorpionfish with the handle of the rod, I grab it with pliers or a surgical clamp by the lower lip and with scissors I cut everything that sticks out of it away from sin, and then, with a clear conscience, I take out the hook and throw it into the bucket.

How to avoid unwanted consequences

The scorpionfish ranks ninth in the top 10 most dangerous aquatic animals in the world. Although not fatal, the injections of the scorpionfish are, admittedly, quite painful. As a rule, they cause pain shock, swelling and redness of the affected areas of the body. Sometimes there is profuse sweating and vomiting.

But there are exceptions. An interesting fact is that fishermen who once received injections of this fish develop some kind of immunity to their poison, as a result of which they are completely free from any reactions and symptoms in the future. Just don't misunderstand me: I am by no means encouraging you to harden yourself in this way, but, on the contrary, I want to warn you against conducting experiments of this kind.

In order not to be taken by surprise and avoid undesirable consequences when meeting with a scorpionfish, you will need knowledge of the simplest medical procedures for first aid. First, it is necessary to determine the injection site; the second is to carefully remove the fragments of the thorns; the third is to squeeze the wound and allow the blood to flow as long as possible; fourth, disinfect the wound by rinsing it with sea water or hydrogen peroxide if you have it.

The unique gastronomic qualities of scorpionfish

Concluding the conversation about scorpionfish, one cannot fail to mention the gastronomic properties and qualities of its meat. The meat of this fish is white, elastic and slightly sweet in taste. Scorpion is dried, fried, boiled, used in soups and aspic dishes - all traditional culinary methods are suitable.

And, of course, the legendary fish soup from the Black Sea scorpion fish, which, according to rumors, surpasses even sturgeon in its unsurpassed taste. And they also say that with its positive effect on the male body, scorpion meat makes the famous Viagra nervously smoke on the sidelines.

So, dear fishermen, catching scorpionfish in the Black Sea, and then eating it is not only a pleasant pastime, but also good good health.

Sea ruff (scorpionfish), harmoniously combined with the ornament of the seabed. Even at close range, it is difficult to distinguish it from a lying stone, dotted with water currents. Throwing itself out of an ambush, it never leaves the victim a chance, even if a crab turns up, swallows it whole, with all its "chain mail". During fishing, he grabs the bait, in his usual manner: without ceremony, as already his own.

Given the peculiarities of this nature of the bite, the fishermen came up with tricks to catch the obstinate fish, which you will learn in this article.

1. General description of scorpion fish (sea ruff)

The scorpionfish, also called the sea ruff, has an elongated body, slightly compressed from the sides. Large head, slightly flattened, with large bulging eyes and a wide, thick-lipped mouth. Powerful jaws armed with small teeth. There are outgrowths of bristles in the pharynx, arranged in a semicircle, which act as graters

The body is covered with warts, spines, patches of scales and tentacles of various lengths, giving the fish a comical appearance. The dorsal fin consists of soft rays coming from the tail and spiny feathers extending across the back. The ventral and pectoral fins are wide, oval, as well as anal, have spines along the edges. The gills, fins and tuberous spines are equipped with needles, on the edge of which there are glands with poison. The coloration of the back is dark brown, the body is light brown.

2. Distribution and habitats

Sea ruff lives in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, off the African and European coasts, as well as in the Black Seas.

3. Age and size

Life expectancy is 6 years, body length is 40 cm.

4. Lifestyle

A bottom predator that lives in the coastal strips at a depth of 10 - 90 meters.

4.1. Reproduction - time and features of spawning

June - September. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 2 years, having a body length of 17.5 cm. Sizes may vary, depending on habitat and ecology.

It spawns in portions, wrapped in transparent mucous membranes, which, rising to the surface, ripen. The protective veil bursts, and the larvae, being released, drift in the water column. Very soon, already in the form of juveniles, they sink to the bottom, continuing their way of life, in their native element.

4.2. Diet - what to eat

Small fish, such as gobies, greenfinches and slats, as well as crustaceans and mollusks (,).

5. How, where, when and what to fish for scorpion fish (sea ruff)

You can fish from the shore and no less successfully from floating means, around the clock, using both natural and artificial baits.

For lovers of fishing in sea waters, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with detailed information about the Mediterranean Sea, its weather conditions, relief, water temperature, water currents and inhabitants -

5.1. Biting calendar - what time of year is best to bite

Scorpion fishing is conducted all year round.

5.2. What weather is best for scorpion pecking (sea ruff)

In the first hours after the storm.

5.3. What are the best places to fish

In the morning and in the evening, near the shore, at a depth of at least 3 meters, on the slopes of the shell, coral or rocky bottom, as well as in the coastal zone, among stones, reefs and algae.

5.4. What gear is best to fish

When fishing from a boat, spinning is used hard, with a sensitive tip. Inertial coil, or.

Tackle, which is often successfully caught, is collected in this way:

main line 0.40 mm, with a margin of 50 m on the reel;
at the end of the bet, sinker 50-100 g;
0.30 mm section, attached to the main line with;
hook size, depends on the size of the bait No. 5-9, in the amount of 2 pieces.

In clear water, in shallow water, so that the boat is not visible, the equipment is thrown to the side, and in order to make it easier to pull the ruff out of the stones, the hooks are equipped with floats, giving them a suspended state.

Since fishing for scorpion fish is mainly carried out in stones and algae, it is best to use as a load a piece of reinforcement 20–30 cm long, bending it into the Latin letter V, instead of bending, they fasten the fishing line and hooks in stones and thickets bottom, no more.

From the shore they catch on float tackle, with a deaf or sliding installation, depending on the depth and casting distance. The float should be made of polystyrene, white and large, and for fishing at night, it is coated with Firefly varnish.

At night, effectively and in large numbers, they catch scorpion fish on the bottom. An ordinary sinker, round or flat, will not work, the fish will drag it into the stones, after which it will be problematic to fish it out.

Scorpionfish, during a bite, is detected by itself and at what, always. Pecks, immediately swallowing. Given these features, a thick wire is used as a sinker, which is bent into a ring. The ends of the rod are connected by soldering. The main fishing line with a carabiner, fastens the ring - a sinker, to which they are tied with hooks.

Equipment is thrown at a distance of 40 - 80 m from the shore. Dozens of pieces are thrown to Donok, and in the morning the catch is counted. On one tackle, it can be hooked, up to five individuals.

A bunch with a trophy, easily released from the main line by opening the carabiner. After that, the scorpion fish is transferred to a plastic bucket, or to some other dense container. On the way back from fishing, the fish will calm down, and already at home, in a calm environment, pull the hooks out of the mouth. Shooting an aggressive ruff at night, even with a flashlight, is not always convenient and safe.

Tackle of this design has the following advantages:

Minimum effort.
High result.
Convenient and safe to use.

In this 3 minute video, experienced fishermen will share with you their experiments with tackle and reels. Fishing is carried out with ultralight on, from the pier, in the city of Sochi

Ruff, rattles with its ammunition, only with its appearance, pleases enthusiastic fishermen. Caught in the Black Sea, large size, brightly colored silicone

5.5. Bait for catching scorpionfish (sea ruff)

Seafood mix: crustaceans, fish and shellfish (, mussels,). Finely crushed and poured into a nylon stocking. Then, they are thrown into the place of the upcoming catch.

5.6. What baits and baits to catch

As bait, they most often serve: raw or boiled rapana meat, mussels, whole crab, small in size, as well as sliced \u200b\u200bfish (for example,), nereis, and lard.

Pilker, silver or green, with black spots. The result of the catch will increase if, in addition to the hook, you pick up slices of fresh fish.

6. Interesting, unusual, funny facts about this fish

From the stories, spearfishers and fishermen who have experienced the bite of a ruff, the symptoms have been described in different ways. For example, in the Black Sea, the fish are calm and the bite is less painful. In, after a bite, swelling follows and the temperature rises, the pain effect can last up to 2 days. In the Red Sea, after an injection of a sea ruff, there have been fatal cases, and the temper, in the scorpion species, is more aggressive.

The toxicity and behavior of fish are influenced by two main factors - the number of enemies and the availability of food. In the Black Sea, most likely, living creatures are abundant, and in the Red Sea, you have to fight for every shrimp.

In the case of a scorpion stab, no matter which sea it happened on, the first step is to remove the thorn from the wound. Then, squeeze out the blood so that the poison does not spread throughout the body. Disinfect the bite site with hydrogen peroxide, if this is not possible, then rinse the wound with sea or hot water. Even if the place of the burn does not bother, you still need go to the hospital to prevent infection or an allergic reaction.

On the head, the sea ruff has receptors, thanks to which, even in the dark, by the slightest fluctuations, it recognizes its prey.

Ruff swallowed a burbot, the size of himself, and in order to place it in the stomach, rubs it with pharyngeal brushes. At the time of the meal, an underwater diver sailed up to wish you bon appetit. Watch 1 min. video

7. Gastronomy

The meat is white and juicy, slightly sweet in taste. Contains substances: chromium, fluorine, zinc and nickel, as well as molybdenum and nicotinic acid.

8. Useful video

The Black Sea, the city of Anapa, fishing for a sea ruff, from a rocky shore. The video contains comments from the champions of Russia in fishing. For stories about the habits of dangerous fish, recommendations on fishing techniques and rods used, see 10 min. roller

9. Most Useful Fish Links

- an encyclopedic article about scorpion fish;

http://forum.tetis.ru/viewtopic.php?t=54371 - advice from members of the forum on what to do if bitten by a scorpionfish;

– an interesting article about the methods of catching scorpion fish;

http://koktebel-himik.com.ua/pages/animals/11.htm - about sea ruff in folk predictions.

Description

The Black Sea scorpionfish (from lat. Scorpaena porcus) is a predatory fish that lives in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as off the African and European coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes it comes across in the Sea of Azov. The second name of the fish is "Black Sea ruff". The flattened head of the scorpion occupies one third of the body. The head has crimson bulging eyes and a huge mouth with thick lips that can easily swallow a whole crab, and powerful jaws. The head is armed with spikes and long, flap-like tentacles. The whole body is covered with tubercles, warts, rays and patches of skin, with the help of which the scorpionfish disguise itself as stones overgrown with vegetation. The dorsal fin of the Black Sea ruff has spiny rays, which are always straightened and raised up in the form of spines. The size of the fish reaches 40 cm in length, and the weight is about 1.5 kg. The Black Sea scorpionfish has venom glands located at the bases of the spiny rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins. There are about 20 such rays, which serve as protection against predators for the scorpion fish, on the body of the fish. Also, the poison is found on the gill covers and in the bone spikes. The scorpionfish has an interesting feature: it regularly sheds, and sheds its old skin like a snake, “stocking”. Shedding can occur up to two times a month. The fish has a bizarre variegated color. Juveniles are light yellow or cream colored with reddish-brown spots and uneven vertical stripes. With age, the color darkens, dark brown with wide vertical blurry stripes. Sometimes there are pink, raspberry-yellow and black scorpions.

This predator feeds on small fish and crustaceans, lying in wait for them in ambush. The scorpionfish can hunt in complete darkness, because it has organs on its head and sides that help to catch water currents from a moving object. It lives in coastal strips, among stones and thickets of algae. The fish is inactive and not shy. In the warm season (June-September), the scorpionfish spawn, laying eggs in separate portions, enclosed in transparent mucous membranes. Before the larvae hatch, these mucous sacs burst and the eggs are released from the common shell. The emerging juveniles stay in the water column for a short time, and then move on to life at the bottom. Scorpion is a nocturnal predator, so it is best to catch it after dark. Calm hours after the storm are optimal for fishing, as the fish are close to the shore in search of food.

Scorpion meat is used for food. The main thing is to be careful when cleaning this fish so as not to get hurt by its thorns. The fish has a high stickiness, therefore it is used to make jelly for jellied fish, fish soup. Ruffs can be fried, and also used as an additive when cooking fish soup from other fish, as they enhance the taste of fish broth. To keep the fish tender and juicy, dishes with liquid (gravy) should be prepared from it. Oven-baked or grilled scorpionfish become very dry. In Turkish cuisine, Black Sea scorpion fish soup is very popular and is considered a delicacy. The fish especially strongly absorbs the aromas of spicy plants growing on the rocks under which it lives: laurel, thyme and myrtle.

Composition, calorie content and useful properties of the Black Sea scorpionfish

Despite its intimidating appearance, the scorpion fish is healthy and is considered one of the most delicious fish in the Black Sea. Its white, juicy and elastic meat is slightly sweet in taste. It is believed that the meat of this fish has a positive effect on the male body. Rich in macro and microelements such as chromium, zinc, fluorine, nickel, molybdenum, as well as vitamin PP (nicotinic acid). Nicotinic acid is involved in the protein and carbohydrate metabolism of the body, helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood, activates the brain and central nervous system. Due to the presence of vitamin PP, scorpionfish dishes can prevent skin disease, which develops "rough skin" - pellagra.

The Black Sea scorpion belongs to the group of lean fish, such as hake, cod, flounder, tench, containing no more than 80-90 calories per 100 g of the finished product. Therefore, the meat of such fish is safely included in a low-calorie diet.

Contraindications: be careful, poisonous scorpionfish!

The scorpion has poisonous spines. The action of the poison is not fatal, but very unpleasant - like a wasp sting. Wounds from the thorns of this fish cause burning pain, the skin around the wound turns red and swells, general malaise and fever are possible. An allergic reaction may begin, so an antihistamine (anti-allergic) drug should be taken immediately after the injection with thorns. Wounds should be treated like normal scratches. In any case, if the poison of this fish is affected, it is better to consult a doctor.

Most often, fishermen suffer from ruff thorns, pulling it out of the nets or removing it from the fishing hook. When cleaning the scorpion, care must also be taken so that the poison from the spines, bone spines and gill covers does not get into small wounds and cracks on the skin of the hands. The poison is preserved even in those fish that have had time to lie down in the refrigerator. The ruff must be decapitated and the dorsal fins removed, and only after that proceed with butchering the carcass.