Page 12 - Stuart Exposure - July '20

Page 12, Stuart Exposure

Book rEviEW

What A Fish Knows: subjects that fascinate me than I ever One of the most “shocking” facts in
The Inner Lives Of Our learned throughout my school years, the book (pun intended) relates to the
way a species of elephantfish that lives
including college ... and to share such
Underwater Cousins experiences with my readers in the in river and coastal basins of western
hope that some of you will find them and central Africa communicate with
By Nils A. Shapiro equally rewarding. each other by high-speed electric organ
“Jonathan Balcombe As many of you know by now, I discharges (EOD). Studies have shown
vividly shows that fish prefer nonfiction over fiction, and my them to have an astounding ability to
have feelings and deserve tastes lean strongly to books about discern pulse time differences down to
consideration and protection animals and nature in general, as well a millionth of a second! “This rivals
like other sentient beings.” – as early American history and ancient echolocation by bats as the fastest
The Dalai Lama world (generally Greek or Roman) form of communication in the animal
One of the great joys of history. Once in a while, a really good kingdom.”
having the privilege of writing novel or more current theme finds its Think about it: a millionth of a second!
these review columns – 175 way into my reading schedule. I had to put the book down at that point,
as of this issue – has been the But my real hope is that when I read marveling at the communication system
opportunity to discover books a book which, for me, becomes a truly of this small fish in Africa that I had
that taught me more about the life-changing or awakening experience, never even heard of.
I am able to express those feelings I will offer one more brief excerpt
from this extraordinary paperback
adequately enough in my review to volume (which, by the way, includes an interesting section
motivate you to obtain that book for yourself and derive the
Treasure Coast same wonderful benefit. of color photographs) just to give you another example of the
rich array of surprises you will find in its pages. The chapter I

Dozens of books that I have reviewed fit into this category,
Outdoors but I will name just a few here as a reminder: refer to, Social Contracts, describes the ongoing relationship
between “cleanerfishes” (more than 20 different species of
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They

Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter
fishes that include wrasses, damselfishes, jacks, cichlids,
Wohleben guppies, sunfishes, etc.) and their clients, well over a 100
Where Are The Dolphin? the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery known fish species that include sharks, rays, lobsters, sea
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into
turtles, octopuses, hippopotamuses – even humans in some
By Jim Weix What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses by Asian health spas!
That is what John Burke, Daniel Chamovitz For lack of space in this review, I will omit sections of
Jack Glanville and I were Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? the book’s text – indicated with an ellipse (...):
asking as we fished live bait by Frans de Waal In this win-win arrangement, the cleaner “picks over the
at weed lines and trolled Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought clients’ bodies, removing parasites, dead skin, algae, and
ballyhoo aboard Burke’s Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans by John Marzluff other undesirable blemishes. Clients benefit by receiving a
vessel Mental Ward. We and Tony Angell spa treatment, including parasite removal. Cleaners get fed.”
fished from 60 feet out to Buzz Sting Bite: Why We Need Insects by Anne Sverdrup- ...“Clients are not passive participants. When it is their
800 feet. We aren’t the only Thygeson turn, they approach the cleaning station and hover in place,
ones asking that question. A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome by Alberto Angela spreading their fins to help cleaners reach all the nooks and
With the dolphin’s high The Hemlock Cup: Socrates, Athens and the Search for crannies. Some open their mouths and gill covers to allow
reproduction rate, where the Good Life by Bettany Hughes the usually much smaller cleaners to enter and exit. A cleaner
they spawn every 2 to 3 days during spawning season and This month’s selection, What a Fish Knows, is will sometimes butt her snout against fins and gill covers to
release between 33,000 and 66,000 eggs each time, the another of these: a remarkable scientific work written in a signal the client to spread them for inspection. Cleaners also
population seems to be declining. The same is true with highly readable, non-technical style. Its author, Jonathan vibrate their ventral fins so that they tap against the host’s
catches of larger dolphin, even though the fish grow rapidly. Balcombe, is the director of animal sentience at the Humane body in a signal that says, ‘Please keep this part of your body
I remember moving to the Treasure Coast in 2001. At that Society Institute for Science and Policy. He has appeared still for inspection.’
time, it was not uncommon to catch a 40-pound fish every on numerous television shows, including the National “This is a dramatic scene if the client is a large predator.
once in a while. Older anglers told me that 40- to 70-pound Geographic Channel, and is a contributor to The New York Although a shark or a moray eel could easily snap up the
fish used to be common back in the ’80s. Times and other publications. cleaner for a quick snack, it just isn’t savvy to eat your
There is a good excuse to buy more fishing equipment! For anyone who has ever had a simple bowl with a goldfish service provider.
Anglers are reporting that bottom fishing is productive as a child, or a more complex home aquarium with many “But it is kosher to show your consideration toward them.
however NOAA Fisheries issued a final rule requiring tropical fish, and wondered whether they recognize the human Groupers, for example, use signals to assist the cleanerfishes
descending devices to be rigged and ready for use on faces staring at them ... or whether to believe the fishermen who tend to them. A large mouth gape acts as an invitation.
board all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper-grouper who claim that fish don’t feel pain from the hooks used to While the cleaner is busy, the grouper keeps an eye out for
species in South Atlantic federal waters. The rule went into catch them ... or whether some fish like to be petted by humans any possible threats. If the cleaner happens to be in the
effect on July 15, for all commercial, for-hire and private ... or whether it’s important to be careful in selecting which grouper’s mouth when danger is approaching, the grouper
recreational vessels. fishes can live together in a home aquarium and which cannot, snaps its mouth closed but leaves just enough room for the
When deep-water fish are brought rapidly to the surface, including individual personalities ... or whether fish can hear cleaner to escape and dart into a safe cranny in the reef. If
they can experience barotrauma – a condition where a buildup and “speak” to each other underwater ... or whether fishes a cleaner is in the gills, the same thing happens, only this
of gas pressure in their bodies makes it difficult or impossible have intelligence, a range of emotions, and a real memory time it is the gill cover that is left ajar.”
to swim back down. If an angler releases the fish (sometimes (not just the three seconds that are generally credited by If this review has provided the bait to hook you into
necessary due to size, season or bag limit restrictions) and the people to goldfish) ... these and hundreds of other questions wanting to know more about What a Fish Knows, trust me:
fish does not survive, this is a dead discard or wasted fish. are answered in this fascinating book that covers not only You won’t be disappointed with the author’s full seafood
A descending device is a weighted hook, lip clamp, or box finned fish but octopuses, rays, eels, shellfish and others. entrée.
that holds the fish while it is lowered to a sufficient depth
where pressure of the surrounding water returns internal gas
to equilibrium, which allows the fish to be released with a
much higher likelihood of survival.
Editor’s note: Jim Weix is an avid hunter, angler,
conservationist, as well as an outdoor writer. Jim is
included in the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s Hall of
Fame for his work in helping restore thousands of acres
of wetlands. Jim is a broker associate with The Keyes
Company. He can be reached at (772) 341-2941 or by
email: jimweix@jimweix.com.

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