Things are not as bad as they seem....

[Boac]

You couldn't make this up (although someone obviously has) but in Australia, to reduce the impact of shark attacks on the popularity of the beaches, 'shark attacks' are to be 'softened' - from 'Telegraph World News'

"Shark attacks are to be rebranded as "negative encounters" or "interactions" in an attempt to change the predators' image as a "man-eating monster."

Officials in parts of Australia will also refer to "bites," rather than "attacks," as they seek to avoid scaring people away from public beaches"

That's OK, then - when the bastard takes off your leg, it's only a bite and some Tea-Tree oil will probably help. Heaven help us!

[TheGreenGoblin]

That's OK, then - when the bastard takes off your leg, it's only a bite and some Tea-Tree oil will probably help. Heaven help us!

Pish, tis a mere scratch... Shades of Monty Python's Black Knight!

[TheGreenGoblin]

Where have all the False Bay Great Whites gone? The apex predator has been absent so far this year as well.

Great whites disappearing from South Africa's Coast Line

The apex predators, which have survived for 400-million years, are in deep trouble.

“We’re seeing the extinction of [great] white sharks along our coastline, and people are not even blinking an eye, but it’s like tigers, elephants or rhinos disappearing off this planet.”

There are two prominent theories. One is the recent appearance of a pod of orcas, or killer whales, in Gansbaai and False Bay, which specialises in hunting large, coastal sharks like white sharks. This has scared off the great whites.

The other is the decline of white shark food from intensified fishing of small shark species, such as smooth-hound and soupfin sharks. The local shark demersal longline fishery, which sets kilometres of baited hooks on the seafloor, exports smooth hounds to Australia, where they are sold at fish-and-chip eateries as “flake”. These vessels have been caught fishing inside marine protected areas.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies smooth hounds as endangered and soupfins as critically endangered. The department of environment, forestry and fisheries has admitted both species are overfished.

These local long line fisheries and Australia, along with China and other international actors, are in many ways the cause in the escalating rate of destruction of this species...

So things are actually far worse than one might imagine for all types of shark. A major cull of humanity is long overdue...

[Woody]

Has to be done

[EA01]

An appearance of a pod of Orca, is but a natural occurance!

'Flake', yeah great stuff...but thought it came from several species caught locally. (?)

Certainly we have (and have had for at least 40 years) 'South African Smoked Cod', yummy stuff poached in milk...

[ian16th]

I wonder jut what 'South African Smoked Cod' actually is?

[TheGreenGoblin]

I wonder jut what 'South African Smoked Cod' actually is?

Probably snoek ian16th. I like curried and smoked snoek. Snoek bobotie is manner from heaven.

http://www.ejozi.co.za/curry-recipes/snoek-curry.html

The British didn't like it...

Though very popular in regions like South Africa, it was not so popular to certain generations of British residents during the Second World War due to it being considered a food item of deprivation. Canned Snoek was imported in large quantities into Great Britain and government marketing of the product was not successful and may have had a negative effect.

The buggers probably boiled it, or some other silly insipid method of serving a fine fish...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyrsites

[ian16th]

So why call it 'cod'? Snoek is nothing like cod.

I miss my North Sea cod

[Pinky the pilot]

Nothing like a good feed of Barramundi!

Fliegs may agree.

[TheGreenGoblin]

So why call it 'cod'? Snoek is nothing like cod.

I miss my North Sea cod

Possibly to avoid any connection with war time tinned snoek, which was really hated here in Britain and may be remembered negatively in Aus too by a certain generation, as it became synonymous with wartime fare and was tinned and salted, thereby assaulting the discerning fish lover's palate! Snoek are caught off the West coast of Aus as well, of course.

All this talk of snoek is making me hungry. What wouldn't I do for a plate of snoek bobotie, a nice chutney, a good green salad, rice and a chilled glass of Boekenhoutskloof Sauvignon Blanc...

[Rossian]

Wasn't "snoek" a created word for whalemeat?? I remember as a small boy seeing large blocks of slowly defrosting whalemeat on porters' trollies in the station in Inverness.

The Ancient Mariner

[TheGreenGoblin]

Wasn't "snoek" a created word for whalemeat?? I remember as a small boy seeing large blocks of slowly defrosting whalemeat on porters' trollies in the station in Inverness.

The Ancient Mariner

Quite possibly, the authorities may have used the word snoek as a catch all for any unpalatable, or non traditional, marine fare for the populace in times of shortage!

Thyrsites atun (Euphrasén, 1791), the snoek, is a long, thin species of snake mackerel found in the seas of the Southern Hemisphere, and a popular food fish in South Africa, particularly along the west and southwest coast. This fish can reach a length of 200 centimetres (79 in) SL though most do not exceed 75 centimetres (30 in) SL. The maximum recorded weight for this species is 6 kilograms (13 lb). It is very important to commercial fisheries and is also a popular game fish. It is currently the only known member of its genus.[2] It is also known in Australasia as barracouta though it is not closely related to the barracuda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyrsites

[EA01]

Never heard of Snoek...

Nothing like a good feed of Barramundi!

Fliegs may agree.

.... Indeed Pinky! Local mobile Fish vendor around these parts is called "Barramundi to Friday"

I wonder jut what 'South African Smoked Cod' actually is?

Well...if this opens for you....

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/prod ... illets-cod

'Smoked Cod - Product of South Africa', I remember it being as such since I was a kid. It's Orange outside white and flakes off in sections inside, salty, and is excellent gently poached in Milk.....

[EA01]

Oh now I see the word 'Hake'! (for the first time ever!), it's never on the label at the shops!

[G-CPTN]

My memory of hake (70 years ago) was that it contained lots of bone - a particular hate of mine as a child.
I haven't knowingly eaten it since.

[k3k3]

What was rock salmon? It had one big bone down the middle.

…and Huss?

[Boac]

Rock Salmon -used to enjoy his films. I believe he had one too.

[ian16th]

Oh now I see the word 'Hake'! (for the first time ever!), it's never on the label at the shops!

What is called 'Hake' in SA isn't bony.

When it is smoked/dyed it changes into 'Haddock".

[ribrash]

What was rock salmon? It had one big bone down the middle.

…and Huss?

Rock Salmon........Dogfish.
Huss.......similar to dogfish.Different in the nostril department.

[EA01]

These are available from a supermarket not far away, a bit salty, but fantastically delicious!

https://www.poseidonseafood.com.au/prod ... s-200grms/

I was intimidated at first, but they are easy to take from frozen to hot smokey morsel in about 15 mins of simmering water....magic!!