A 72-year-old man was hospitalized Thursday after being stung by a venomous fish off the coast of Jupiter, officials said.
The man was stung in the hand about 3 p.m. by a scorpion fish he caught several miles off the Jupiter coast, said Captain Al Cruz of Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue’s anti-venom unit.
When the man tried to remove the fish from the hook, he was stung by one of its spines. It pierced his skin and released poison into his hand, Cruz said.
He went to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, where he was met by members of the anti-venom unit who had driven from Miami-Dade to treat his injuries.
Officials didn’t release the man’s identity, citing federal medical privacy laws.
Scorpion fish encompass numerous species of bottom-living carnivorous marine fish that live in temperate and tropical waters. They are in the stonefish family, some of the most poisonous fish in the world, Cruz said.
The man was in extreme pain, as is typical with scorpion fish stings, Cruz said. Swelling, discoloration and intense pain are typical, he said.
The man was listed in stable condition late Thursday. He remained hospitalized overnight as a precaution, Cruz said.
Staff Writer Stephen Deere contributed to this report.
Shahien Nasiripour can be reached at or 561-243-6531.
