Beachgoers have been issued with an urgent warning, after venomous fish with stings so powerful they can knock people unconscious have been turning up on UK shores. The RNLI has reminded sun seekers to stay vigilant, with climate change thought to be the cause.
Weever fish, which are difficult to see because they hide themselves in sand, are mostly brown and about four to eight inches long. Recently, they have been reported on beaches across the UK, such as in Wales, Kent, Plymouth and Cornwall, the Mirror reports.
The aggressive predatory creatures have stings capable of causing people pass out and make grown men cry. They carry a potent venom in protective spines on their dorsal fins and gill covers which is released if someone is unlucky enough to stand on them.
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Lifeguards are advising beachgoers - particularly swimmers and surfers - to wear beach shoes when in shallow waters to protect the soles of their feet from coming into contact with them. Alternatively, paddlers should drag their feet as they walk in order to disrupt the sand and frighten off any weever fish in the sand.
RNLI lifeguard supervisor Beau Gillet said he has seen grown men cry from the power of the creature's sting. "It really depends on the size of the fish, how you step on it and how your body reacts to the venom," he said.
The British Sea Fishing website says that the sting's effect can last for anywhere between 12 and 24 hours. Children, elderly people, those with underlying health conditions or anyone who suffers a particularly severe reaction are advised to seek medical help if stung.
NHS guidance recommends that people who are stung should soak the affected area in "very hot" water for a minimum of half an hour to draw the venom out. Spines that remain lodged in feet must not be touched with bare hands and should be removed using tweezers or the edge of a bank card.
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