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ned small

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Apparently a lot of the Tilapia eaten here is from fish farms not from the lake. They say the ones from the lake are usually too young and small.

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30 minutes ago, cedros said:

Apparently a lot of the Tilapia eaten here is from fish farms not from the lake. They say the ones from the lake are usually too young and small.

One of the "fish farms" is right in the lake at Mezcala Island. As to what is caught by the fisherman you can see for yourself at the fishmongers upstairs in the mercado still flopping around and obviously big enough to sell very fresh every day.

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I would imagine that the vast majority of expats have yet to discover the fishmongers on the second floor of the mercado publico de Chapala.  So many live in ignorance of their surroundings, cannot read a sign or ask a question, and yet believe whatever confusing information they hear from another expat in similar circumstances.  :unsure:

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56 minutes ago, ned small said:

One of the "fish farms" is right in the lake at Mezcala Island. As to what is caught by the fisherman you can see for yourself at the fishmongers upstairs in the mercado still flopping around and obviously big enough to sell very fresh every day.

There are quite a few fish farms that aren't in the lake.

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3 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

More than once is not the same as swimming regularly.  The only people I've ever seen swimming in the lake with any frequency are Mexican and that is during the summer months when we have a lot of Tapatio visitors.  I think most of we expats prefer our water warmer and clearer.

Ditto our fish. :D

 

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55 minutes ago, elevator said:

 

Harvard University ran extensive tests a few years back and said the lake water was fine for women that are pregnant.

That's great... But what about the rest of us?

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It has been determined that every person who has swim in the lake, even once, is now experiencing a terminal condition; even the waders, fishermen and kayakers who have had significant contact with the water.

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After I went in the lake, my Doctor commented that I was more ruco than before and that I could die some day from a condition called rucosis. The terms ruco and rucosis are words spoken in Mexican Spanish

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4 hours ago, SunshineyDay said:

What is the terminal condition?

Well, it is obvious that no one here swims regularly in the Lake, or eats fish regularly from the Lake. No one had to tell me that. It is very obvious. :D

 

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I don't swim much anyway. I buy my fish wherever it happens to be for sale, wherever I am. That's just my life. When I'm in Chapala, I buy fish upstairs at the market on the plaza, whatever's fresh. None of this has any bearing at all how I feel about the lake. So I'n not sure what some are insinuating in this thread.

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9 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

So I'm not sure what some are insinuating in this thread.

I figure there is a certain foreigner clique in Chapala/Ajic - maybe even in Mexico in general - who thinks they are a little more rugged and brave to be able to "survive" here. It is just part of their personality. According to them, "school, work, raising a family, living in Mexico" is tough, with a boat load of perceived problems for them to cleanup, or complain about - but then smugly claim, "heck, someone has to do it, I wish it wasn't always me!". It turns out, that in most cases the good and bad are well balanced, they haven't learned how to seek out this balance. They see a world of work, work, work - then you die. These types of residents do not make good retirees. They seek out problems, not opportunities.

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51 minutes ago, CHILLIN said:

I figure there is a certain foreigner clique in Chapala/Ajic - maybe even in Mexico in general - who thinks they are a little more rugged and brave to be able to "survive" here. It is just part of their personality. According to them, "school, work, raising a family, living in Mexico" is tough, with a boat load of perceived problems for them to cleanup, or complain about - but then smugly claim, "heck, someone has to do it, I wish it wasn't always me!". It turns out, that in most cases the good and bad are well balanced, they haven't learned how to seek out this balance. They see a world of work, work, work - then you die. These types of residents do not make good retirees. They seek out problems, not opportunities.

Holy smokes! I agree with Gary yet again.

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11 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

I don't swim much anyway. I buy my fish wherever it happens to be for sale, wherever I am. That's just my life. When I'm in Chapala, I buy fish upstairs at the market on the plaza, whatever's fresh. None of this has any bearing at all how I feel about the lake. So I'n not sure what some are insinuating in this thread.

Here's what you said and I [gasp!] agree with your position as well as Gary's.

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On 4/5/2017 at 8:58 AM, CHILLIN said:

I figure there is a certain foreigner clique in Chapala/Ajic - maybe even in Mexico in general - who thinks they are a little more rugged and brave to be able to "survive" here. It is just part of their personality. According to them, "school, work, raising a family, living in Mexico" is tough, with a boat load of perceived problems for them to cleanup, or complain about - but then smugly claim, "heck, someone has to do it, I wish it wasn't always me!". It turns out, that in most cases the good and bad are well balanced, they haven't learned how to seek out this balance. They see a world of work, work, work - then you die. These types of residents do not make good retirees. They seek out problems, not opportunities.

Very well said, my friend!  These are the folks who cannot just let others be!

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I regularly buy frozen shrimp from the fish market, occasionally shark.  Have worked on a fish farm & fished all my life, but never here... yet.

The reason I don't eat the lake tilapia is because I can see the physical inflammation of the fish around eyes, the fins & anus.  That reddish tinge is inflammation.  Which indicates that the fish is stressed and/or not healthy.  Wouldn't eat that if I was paid to do so.

I love fishing, but I like to catch clean, healthy fish.  I didn't even eat the fish I caught in most Texas & Southern US lakes - would catch & release.

But I'm picky about what I put into my body.  I don't eat any farmed fish.  And I figure, if there's a warning you should not eat more than once a week or so, best not to eat it at all. 

From the appearance of the freshly caught tilapia in Chapala's mercado, I won't be swimming in the lake, either.

But then, I had a ringside seat for the whole BP show in the Gulf of Mexico, and all the bs that occurred after...

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29 minutes ago, Jabonera said:

I regularly buy frozen shrimp from the fish market, occasionally shark.  Have worked on a fish farm & fished all my life, but never here... yet.

The reason I don't eat the lake tilapia is because I can see the physical inflammation of the fish around eyes, the fins & anus.  That reddish tinge is inflammation.  Which indicates that the fish is stressed and/or not healthy.  Wouldn't eat that if I was paid to do so.

I love fishing, but I like to catch clean, healthy fish.  I didn't even eat the fish I caught in most Texas & Southern US lakes - would catch & release.

But I'm picky about what I put into my body.  I don't eat any farmed fish.  And I figure, if there's a warning you should not eat more than once a week or so, best not to eat it at all. 

From the appearance of the freshly caught tilapia in Chapala's mercado, I won't be swimming in the lake, either.

But then, I had a ringside seat for the whole BP show in the Gulf of Mexico, and all the bs that occurred after...

The once a week is merely precautionary for the 3 types of people mentioned,not normal healthy people. it applies in many waters even in the North Saskatchewan river in Alberta starting at Devon. As to the tilapia at the mercado, if I was a fish out of water flopping around for an extended period,I too would be stressed. Conversely,now that you mention it, I have never seen the inflammation you describe on any of the charales,whitefish, catfish or carp taken from the lake. I have yet to see a largemouth bass other than in a picture. the first pic is stressed tilapia and the second is unstressed

tilapia-worse-than-bacon.jpg

tilapia-157653392-medium-joloei_field_img_hero_988_380.jpg

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I appreciate the difference in the states of the fish in the above pictures.  I was not referring to the reddish tint that affects the whole body...  That is a normal stress reaction common in many fish - red-tailed catfish, arapuima, and other species.  What I was referring to specifically, were the small areas around the eyes, fins & vent which are reddened.  In my days as fishkeeper, fish found with these signs were removed from the general population to isolation tanks until recovered... and/or destroyed if recovery was not feasible.

In the southern US, many of our rivers are heavily polluted with mercury and PCBs.  I don't give a damn how healthy you feel you are, those are not desirable substances to be ingesting.  Ergo, during my years as a Bassin' Gal, I would fish tournaments, & for private diversion, but personally chose to catch & release.

Far from telling others what to ingest, I only state my personal opinion based on my experience in fishing & fish farming in various countries around the world (Thailand, Australia, USA, South America).  Until one understands fish biology & their physical necessities, how can one judge their state of health?  Most def not by just looking.

After the BP dog & pony show, media says, "C'mon down & enjoy our Southern hospitality," (referring to New Orleans & several restaurants famous for their oysters & crabs)...  Not on your life, man!  I have fished the rivers & have seen with my own eyes the crap INSIDE the blue crabs...  No WAY would I wanna eat that; in fact, I didn't even like handling it.  To compound the problem, blue crab larvae form the bottom rung of the food chain for thousands of other species in the GOM...  Um, that WERE in the GOM.

But the US goobermint, in its great wisdom, has decided all is fine & good.  So yeah...  The whole thing never happened, folks...  Go back to sleep.  But first, reserve your holiday house on Gulf Shores...  Right.

In the end, life's a crapshoot.  But it does help to inform yourself so you are able to make intelligent decisions.

I also do not eat beef here.  Or pork, and especially not the chicken.  I can SEE with my eyes how unhealthy they are.  Instead, I'm opting for goat, rabbit, & lamb, along with wild-caught salmon & flounder.  I don't use the pasteurized milk or cheeses, either, preferring natural raw milk and raw milk cheeses for their health value.  I'd venture to say I'd prefer eating rat meat (raised hygienically) to beef, pork, or chicken here.  It'd definitely be more healthy than meat shot full of hormones & antibiotics.  They call it "household deer" in China and it's a staple.  Very tasty as well.

 

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