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Your Family Eats the Fish You Eat,
Choose Your Fish Wisely
By Micah Vieux
The need for fish consumption advisories
 With 3,089 fish consumption advisories in place among 48 of 50 states, the challenge to inform individuals of the risks, benefits, and best practices regarding fish consumption from local waters is being taken head-on in many places across the nation.
 In my home state of Ohio, the issue of eating contaminated sport fish is problem of growing concern. Public and non-profit partnerships are being formed to help address this concern. State government agencies such as Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Health, Boards of Health in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, and non-profit environmental organizations such as The Ohio Environmental Council are all working to together to educate and equip Ohioans with decision-making skills which will allow them to make the most informed choices regarding fish consumption.
Public health warnings and medical research indicate that there is a window of vulnerability in human development ranging from conception to early childhood where exposure to toxins in the environment can cause significant, irreversible developmental damage.
Mercury may pose a considerable public health threat to many of Ohio's children, as Ohio EPA estimates that every body of water in Ohio is contaminated with levels of mercury high enough to warrant a statewide fish consumption advisory. This advisory warns all Ohioans to consume no more than 1 fish meal per week from any of Ohio's rivers, lakes, and streams. Ohio is the nations #2 emitter of mercury, just behind Texas.
The contamination of fishing waters in Ohio is widespread-extending from backyard ponds and local streams to popular fishing destination such as Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River, and the Rocky River in Northeastern Ohio where fish tissue samples of mercury range from 5.6 to 97.1 parts per trillion (ppt), well in excess of USEPA's threshold of 1.3 ppt.
Consumption of fish from these waters can have serious consequences. Studies estimate that over 640,000 children born each year in the U.S. are at-risk for developmental problems due to exposure to mercury in the womb. These impacts include delays in physical development, blindness, deafness, impacts to fine motor skills, and impacts to cognitive development and learning such as language acquisition, attention, and memory.
Though the most at-risk for negative impacts from fish consumption are women and children, studies are now linking chronic health impairments to men including increased risk for heart attack, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease among others.
In the last two years there have been more and more articles written to help address mercury contamination and its threat to public health, highlighting the importance of fish consumption advisories. However, information is not education, and according to focus groups the majority of Ohioans have little understanding about the sources of mercury contamination, the populations most at risk, or the ways in which individuals can reduce their risk and protect their families.
Health Benefits From Eating Fish
When properly prepared, fish can be part of a diet that is high in protein and low in saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol. Almost any kind of fish is a healthy replacement for a high-fat source of protein.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in all fish. Omega-3's help promote heart health and aid in the prevention of heart disease and stroke, making fish a positive choice for a healthy diet.
You can get the health benefits of eating fish while reducing unwanted contaminants by following the advice of fish consumption advisories. You and your family should determine the types and amount of fish you eat and compare that to the advice given by your state agency. After careful consideration you may find that you do not have to change your consumption habits at all, or you may choose to eat different fish, or simply space fish meals farther apart.
Fish consumption advisory information is not intended to discourage individuals from eating fish, but should be used as a guide to select fish that are low in contaminants.
Be Cautious Eating Certain Types of Fish
While the fat of some fish like salmon and trout contain high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, the fat of many sport fish you catch in Ohio can be the source of toxic contamination. You may be at special risk if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing a baby. Contaminated fish do not look, smell, or taste different; but they can still harm you and your baby if eaten regularly.
It is important to know how much fish is safe to eat from the waters you are fishing out of. Make sure you know about the safer places to catch fish in your area, the safer types of fish to eat, the safest portion size to eat, and the safest ways to fillet and cook your fish to avoid harming your health.
You Can Protect Yourself and Your Family By Following These Steps:
Fish from the least contaminated waters in your area. Check the state advisory to learn what types of fish and how much fish is safe to eat from the waters you are fishing out of. If you do not know how safe it is to eat the fish from the lake or river you are fishing, then the safest choice is to release your catch.
Eat smaller fish. As a general rule, larger, older fish are more contaminated than younger, smaller fish.
Vary the kind of fish you eat. Bass, walleye, and catfish are likely to have higher levels of contaminants because they feed on other fish. Trout, bluegill, and crappie eat insects and other aquatic life and are less likely to contain high levels of contamination. By varying the fish you eat you can lower the risk to you and your family.
Avoid eating fatty fish like catfish and carp. Most chemical contaminants are stored in the fish's fat.
Properly fillet the fish you catch. (See filleting the diagram on the right)
Bake, broil or grill your fish instead of frying. Baking, broiling, and grilling allow the fats to drip away from the fish fillet. This helps reduce the amount of contamination in your meal, because most of the harmful contaminants are stored in the fish's fat. Do not coat the fish in batter or breading and deep fry. The breading and batter, as well as the frying method, keep the contamination in the fish you are eating.
Eat fish you buy from the grocery store in place of fish you catch. Toxic contamination of market fish is generally less than the contamination of sport fish. DO NOT EAT swordfish, shark, tilefish, or king mackerel. These fish have the highest mercury levels of any market fish and are also under advisory by USEPA.
For more information regarding fish consumption advisories for in your state visit: http://epa.gov/waterscience/fish/states.htm.
Micah Vieux is the Outreach Coordinator for the Ohio Environmental Council. The Ohio Environmental Council works across the state to unite Ohio’s conservation and environmental community to keep watch of Ohio’s air and water quality, take action to better environmental policies, and make change for a greener tomorrow.
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