Moray eel is the second most common type of food poisoning

From BearWiki

Claim: Moray eel is not the second most common type of food poisoning. Like all high-on-the-food-chain tropical fish, it can cause ciguatera fish poisoning, but only if it has eaten sufficient fish that have consumed toxic algae.

First off, moray eel *can* cause ciguatera food poisoning if eaten. It is not due to the eel itself, however, but to its diet: ciguatoxin is produced by some algae, and fish who eat the algae concentrate it. Fish which eat those fish concentrate it further, and so on. If there is an outbreak of the toxic algae, the top level predators end up with the highest concentrations. Eel are not the only top-level predators; Bear might as well also have advised against eating amberjack, grouper, sturgeon, snapper, king mackerel, barracuda, and others.[1] While at it, he might as well have warned of scombroid poisoning from dark meat fish -- tuna, bonito, skipjack, mahi-mahi, and mackerel, as well as shellfish poisoning and pufferfish poisoning (pufferfish is actually poisonous in and of itself, and requires careful preparation to eat)[2].

More than 90% of food poisoning cases each year are from various bacterial species: Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, and Entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli.[3] None of these cause ciguatera poisoning (the source is certain dinoflagellates (large, flagellate protists, not bacteria), usually Gambierdiscus toxicus[4]). I.e., ciguatera poisoning is relatively rare, as far as food poisoning goes.

[edit] Analysis

Oppose: The claim on the show was simply that one should avoid Moray because it can cause ciguatera. This strikes me as sound advice, because even if it doesn't necessarily cause it, I wouldn't want to risk it. The other part of the claim is that it is the most common type of *marine* poisoning. There is a website that confirms this, I cannot be sure of its authenticity[5]

Support: Eel has no higher risk of ciguatera than any other dark meat fish -- among which are some very popular to eat. Should he also have advised people not to eat tuna? Mackerel? Mahi-mahi? Give me a break. Also, AFAIK, Bear said "food poisoning", not "marine food poisoning".