An ‘eye catching’ discovery made among fish

September 21st, 2009 HANOI - Three workers at a fish sauce factory suffocated when they entered a fermenting vat and inhaled a toxic gas, Vietnamese press reported Monday. The newspaper Nong Nghiep (Agriculture) reported that Bui Dinh Tuan, 36, had climbed into a fish sauce vat to repair a pipe Saturday morning at the factory where he worked in the coastal town of Cam Ranh.

September 4th, 2009 Cougar fears keep popular Seattle park shutSEATTLE — With a cougar possibly on the prowl, Seattle's largest park remained off-limits to holiday weekend revelers as state wildlife agents tried to trap the elusive animal. On Friday, wildlife agents set a second trap while most people, including runners, picnickers and other nature-lovers, obeyed orders to stay out of the popular tree-filled urban retreat known for its spectacular views of Puget Sound.

July 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has found that once fish evolve the size and speed needed to become top predators, natural selection keeps them in an evolutionary holding pattern, that is, they evolve more slowly. An example is the largemouth bass, which is a favorite freshwater fish with an appetite for minnows.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - A 60-year-old Chinese man fought with a 17 kg fish for two hours to catch it, while he was fishing in a river in Changchun, Jilin province, on Wednesday. He kept on fighting the 1.17-m long fish until it finally gave up.

July 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research by scientists from the University of Victoria has shown that fish avoid the divers and snorkelers who try to count them, and that is why using snorkelers and SCUBA divers may misrepresent the number of fish. Not all types of fish are equally frightened by the divers, and Faculty of 1000 member Helen Yap, who recommended the study, explains that therefore "such methods may not provide an accurate picture of the actual diversity and abundance of fish communities." Counting coral reef fish informs researchers about local ecological changes.

July 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Oregon State University have extended the shelf life of lingcod fillets and possibly made them more nutritious by dipping them into an edible, protective coating enriched with fish oil. The research may give consumers a chance to eat longer-lasting, potentially healthier fish fillets.

July 16th, 2009 SYDNEY - The male members of an ancient fish species known as sea dinosaurs impregnated females with penis like organs 380 million years ago, just like modern day sharks. Some fish species engaged in penetrative sex and gave birth to young ones, according to a study conducted by Curtin University of Technology (CUT).

July 16th, 2009 LONDON - An 11-year-old English schoolgirl has broken the record for the biggest freshwater fish caught by a child in Europe by hooking a nearly 9ft long catfish, more than twice the size of her, during a trip to Spain's River Ebro. Jessica Wanstall, from Sittingbourne, Kent, was nearly dragged into the water when the catfish weighing nearly 200lbs took her bait.

July 14th, 2009 SYDNEY - Scientists have discovered a 400 million-year-old reproductive organ in an ancient fish specimen, which is the oldest penis-like structure found yet. According to a report by ABC News, earlier this year, the team, led by Australian palaeontologist Dr John Long, predicted some ancient fish from the Devonian era, had an attachment to their pelvic bone, which were used by males to fertilize females.

June 25th, 2009 Surprise: Fish in acidic waters grow bigger earsWASHINGTON — Listen up! Carbon dioxide being absorbed by the oceans is having a puzzling effect on fish — their ears get bigger. Now, that doesn't mean you're going to reel in the Mr.

June 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Farmed fish, if fed by-products rendered from cows, could transmit Creutzfeldt Jakob disease-commonly known as mad cow disease. Questioning the safety of eating farmed fish, Dr.

May 9th, 2009 LONDON - A 10-year-old girl has broken two fishing records after she reeled in a monster catfish that weighed almost as much as she did. Natalie Carter, who weighs five-stones, spent 45 gruelling minutes under the baking Thailand sun fighting a giant three-and-a-half stone Redtail catfish before getting it to the bank.

April 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has shown that chemicals commonly used to clean up oil spills make oil far more toxic to fish, particularly for eggs and young fish. According to a report by Discovery News, the research was done by Fish toxicologist Professor Peter Hodson of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and colleagues.

April 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of biologists has demonstrated that a group of African fish, known as cichlids, can eat using the help of a non-visual sensory system, which is the first of its kind reported in this species. Jacqueline Webb, a University of Rhode Island (URI) professor of biology, and her colleagues have demonstrated that a group of African cichlids feeds by using its lateral line sensory system to detect minute vibrations made by prey hidden in the sediments.

March 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have discovered that the elephant shark, a primitive deep-sea fish that belongs to the oldest living family of jawed vertebrates, can see color much like humans can. This discovery may enhance scientists' understanding of how color vision evolved in early vertebrates over the last 450 million years of evolution.