Consumption Advisories

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MuskyMastr
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2008/04/03 00:23:14 (permalink)

Consumption Advisories

Learned something new today when checking out the consumption advisories.  I did not realize that "all recreationally caught fish in the commonwealth" are subject to a one meal a week restriction, including stockies(that was the part I didn't know).  From thier studies it takes about a month for a stocked fish to stabilize its pcb level, which then increases thoughout thier lifetime.    I don't worry about it myself, but do limit my kids and wife to the restrictions.................here are the links
 
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/qpcb2001.htm
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishpub/summary/sumconsumption.pdf
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/watersupply/cwp/view.asp?a=1261&q=450642
 

Better too far back, than too far forward.
#1

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    casts_by_fly
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 07:44:12 (permalink)
    musky,
     
    keep in mind how they do the testing.  You grind up the entire fish and extract the PCB's, mercury, lead, etc from the entire fish for testing.  So the fatty areas are included, which is where the contaminants collect.  If you cut away the fatty areas before cooking and then cook with methods that take the fat away you have removed most of the contaminants.  What the PFBC choose for the levels are based around children's consumption (worst case scenario) which is normally considered to be 100x the dangerous concentration in adults.  Also consider that the science that sets the levels for each chemical about what level is dangerous is not exact.  Chemicals are tested at artificially high concentrations in other animals such as rats, mice, and other small mammals.  When you consider that data from rats cannot be used to accurately predict the data from mice, then I don't put a lot of stock in predicting human toxicity by using data from anything other than humans.  Sometimes the data is clear and easily transferrable.  Most of the time it is not.
     
    Thanks,
    Rick
    #2
    Bughawk
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 10:00:52 (permalink)
    Another thing to consider is that the fish you buy in the supermarket is really no better for you than what you catch.  In fact, I read an article last fall about the farm raised salmon having way more contaminants in them than the wild salmon.  Tuna is also a serious problem, especially the fancy white tuna.  I  understand the PAFBC wanting to warn people.  That is not a bad thing, but we also need to be aware that all fish has the potential of having contaminants whether we caught it or we bought it.
     
    Now having said that, there are some fish that are safer to eat.  Generally the small pan fish do not carry as many contaminants.  Bluegills, perch, crappie are usually your best bet.  Besides, these are some of the tastier fish anyway.  It is the larger preditory fish that tend to bioaccumulate the toxins.
     
    For me I feel the health benefits of eating fish will hopefully outway the health risks.  Fish is an excellent source of low fat protein and in some cases omega 3 fatty acids.  If you eat a reasonable amount, you should be fine.

    pax vobiscum +
    #3
    Bugeyes
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 10:44:41 (permalink)
    WOW, And I thought we were safe up here on the Allegheny Reservoir (Kinzua).  They have us listed at only 2 meals/month with a mercury contaminant advisory.  Guys, if I'm not mistaken, mercury is in the muscle tissue and cannot be removed by removing the "fatty parts".  Therefore, eating just the fillets does not help?  That was an eye opener.
    #4
    Carpet Bagger
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 10:55:19 (permalink)
    Most mercury and pcb's from what Ive been told are found in the belly meat and those lat lines you zipper out of the fish...Cut  around the belly zip out the lat line and you probaly get rid of 60% of anything considered bad...
     
    I like how they worry about fish you catch wild, but dont say alot about beef in the stores that is just punished with steroids and red dye, and milk full of hormones....I would think that the red meat and milk does alot more harm than a wild walleye fillet...
     
    I suppose if you were going to eat the thing head to tail, scales and all, I probaly would only advise doing that once a week...lol

    CB
    I never thought I'd say this, but I love my Sport-Craft!
    #5
    Bughawk
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 11:02:23 (permalink)
    Here is a link to an interesting article about mercury in fish.
     
    CB is right.  Most of our food has some contaminant in it.  I guess we should all just stop eating anything that might be contaminated.  Sooo what's left????  Anyone for an organic tofu burger????

    pax vobiscum +
    #6
    Bugeyes
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 13:24:58 (permalink)
    LOL.  Sometimes I think drinking a diet coke is worse than eating fish.
    #7
    MuskyMastr
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 13:48:01 (permalink)
    Actually I had to study quite a bit about this a few years back.  I was just suprised to see the whole state was 1 meal a week.  And I would still feel better eating the stuff I catch that what I could buy.  I usually don't cut the lateral line out either, just because I don't want to screw up a nice fillet.
     
    Does anyone know what feed the hatcheries use?   That would probably make for intesting reading.

    Better too far back, than too far forward.
    #8
    mikeg
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 15:47:18 (permalink)
    What I find funny is that there are all kind of fish advisorys but not any on farmed chicken, pork, or beef products. There are probably 10 times the harmfull junk in these than fish. And lets not even talk about the chemicals on fruit, vegetables and nuts.
     
    And like the above post, just eat the filets without skin and you won't have anything to worry about.
     

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    #9
    saltflyfisher
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 18:08:55 (permalink)
    There was a story in a outdoor mag. a few yrs back of an older man who loved pike so much that he ate it 3 meals a day. At the age of 70+ he showed some signs of mercury poisoning.
    #10
    mikeg
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/03 18:42:43 (permalink)
    If I make it to 70 "some" signs of mercury poisoning would be fine with me...lol

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    #11
    DanesDad
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/04 23:19:25 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: saltflyfisher

    There was a story in a outdoor mag. a few yrs back of an older man who loved pike so much that he ate it 3 meals a day. At the age of 70+ he showed some signs of mercury poisoning.


     
    thats probably the least of his problems.
    #12
    Big Tuna
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    RE: Consumption Advisories 2008/04/05 09:34:39 (permalink)
    One meal a month on Shenago crappie!
    #13
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