[Avodah] FW: fishy worms - reponse from Y Spira

[SBA]

From: Yitzchok Levine < >
Recently a document was posted about worms in fish that claims that most
fish contain worms, and therefore one should refrain from eating many kinds
of fish. See
http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/wp-content/uploads/mehadrinanisakis.pdf
Note that no one has signed his name to this document.  Indeed, I know
nothing about Chevrah Mehadrin, Kashrus Advocacy of Rockland.

In addition, R. Yudel Shain has put a post at
http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2008/12/fish-infested-with-worms-in-flesh.htm
l
under the heading
<http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2008/12/fish-infested-with-worms-in-flesh.ht
ml>FISH
INFESTED WITH WORMS IN THE FLESH-including canned salmon
Given this, I contacted the OU to get some information about this issue.  I
have learned the following:

Rav Yisroel Belsky has issued a psak for the OU, stating that there is no
need to check for worms and no prohibition of the worms found in wild salmon
and other fish, in accordance with Shulchan Aruch  Y"D 84:16. According to
this psak, he states that the Shulchan Aruch does not limit the
permissibility of Tolayim found in the flesh of fish to any species of
tolaas. The halacha states that the tolaas found in the flesh of the fish is
mutar, and there is no reason to believe present day Tolayim are any
different from those found in the past.
====================================
From: Yechiel Spira [mailto:jerusalemkn at gmail.com] 

One expert who has been issuing documents about worm infestation in fish is
Rabbi Moshe Vaya of Jerusalem. I suggest before you run to discredit such
information, you probe the matter in greater depth. 

The same can be said for the Jerusalem-based Eida Chareidit, which has been
speaking of the 'fish problem' for some time. This is not new news, perhaps
in N. America it is, but not in Israel. 

You do not providing a service to your readers by seeking to discount the
legitimacy of the concerns in my opinion, but that is just my outlook and I
respect your option to disagree. 

There are more than a few mashgichim with whom I am in regular contact who
have confirmed the presence of the worms, and I have even seen them, quite
visible to the eye once one learns how to inspect. Yes, it does depend on
the source of the fish in many cases, but one cannot make a general
statement that there is no problem.

I also remind you that the audio presentation that you offer on behalf of
Rav Belsky Shlita is a year old. Much has changed in the past year as well. 

Respectfully,
Yechiel Spira
Jerusalem Kosher News