Don’t snub the grub

“The fish we caught in our pond have little worms in them. Are they safe to eat?” Every year, the Missouri Department of Conservation gets calls like this from anglers who notice small, yellow grubs in the flesh of fish they are preparing for the table. They are understandably concerned that the grubs — larvae of a fish parasite — might be harmful or at least unhealthy to eat. But Conservation Department fisheries biologists say that although the grubs may be unappetizing, they don’t affect the wholesomeness of the meat.

Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Management Biologist Dale Cornelius says fish have always been hosts for yellow grubs. They can easily be overlooked when fish are cooked whole. Anglers who fillet their catch, however, are likely to spot the parasites.

“The yellow grub is a common parasite that can affect any species of fish,” says Cornelius. “Fish that are properly cleaned and cooked present no danger of transmitting parasites or disease to humans.” The yellow grub parasite begins its complex life cycle in fish-eating birds. Adult grubs lay eggs in the throats and mouths of the birds. Those eggs are expelled when the birds feed. Larvae emerge from eggs and burrow into the bodies of snails, continuing to grow and change form. When a grub leaves a snail, it attaches to a fish and burrows into the fish’s flesh. The cycle then repeats itself when a fish-eating bird eats the infected fish.

Anglers who catch fish that have yellow grubs can remove them, but thorough cooking will kill any missed in cleaning.

For questions concerning fish parasites or pond management contact Randy Noyes, Fisheries Division, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, e-mail [email protected].