Michigan Department of Community Health Warns of the Risks of Toxic Fish

Thanks to chemicals like mercury and polychlorinated byphenols (PCBs) that accumulate in aquatic ecosystems, fish now require the same kind of safety warnings as cigarettes. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) released the 2010 Michigan Fish Advisory last week, which informs consumers which fish are safe to eat, and in what quantities. The advisory is a useful guide for anyone intending to eat fish caught in Michigan waters.

The Fish Advisory divides the state into the five Great Lakes’ watersheds, and then gives information on specific lakes and rivers in each watershed. Within each body of water, fish are identified by how often it’s safe to eat them (one meal per week, never, etc.) The stakes are also higher for children and women of childbearing age, as children are more susceptible to cancers, reproductive issues, and neurological disorders that develop as a result of the nasty chemicals that accumulate in fish flesh. And the larger the fish, the more chemicals are likely to have built up in their tissue.

Chemicals (with the exception of mercury) tend to accumulate in fat, so fatty fish like carp and catfish should be avoided, particularly in polluted waters. For example, you do not want to be snacking on catfish caught in Saginaw Bay. Mercury on the other hand cannot be removed from fish by trimming or removing fat. The MDCH Mercury Advisory gives explicit guidelines for fish that should be avoided or eaten sparingly due to high mercury content.

The Michigan Fish Advisory is not intended to discourage fishing in Michigan; it is intended to help consumers make healthy and informed decisions about what they catch, keep, and cook. In addition to ratings for individual species of fish, it gives instructions on filleting and cooking your catch for the safest results. The Advisory is also an important reminder of the indirect effects industrial pollution can have on our lives; there was a time when we didn’t have to worry about our local rock bass giving us cancer. So don’t hesitate to break out the rod and reel this summer, but keep the Fish Advisory handy before frying up your catch.

-Photo courtesy of Michigan.org