Three family members became ill after consuming a barracuda caught in the Gulf of Mexico by friends. One family member was hospitalized. All three persons were diagnosed with Ciguatera poisoning. The Collier County Health Department was notified of the illnesses and began investigating the source of the fish. The implicated fish was caught on September 16 approximately 32 miles west of Marco Island, Florida, and was eaten on September 17. A portion of the fish had been given as a gift to the family. The fish was tested; tests indicated the presence of ciguatoxin, Caribbean ciguatoxin-1. Two additional people had ciguatera poisoning in the same time period.