Mercury and Fish warnings

[mrbrklyn]

http://blueocean.org/issues/fish-as-food/mercury/advice-mercury-in-seafood/

I'm sure we all eat a lot of fish..

[floating doc]

This is an important issue.  I don't eat fresh water fish here in Florida any more due to the high mercury levels.

[Ron Jones]

I'm sure we all have our own opinions about this. The good news for fishermen is that most line caught fish have lower concentrations.
Ronald

[erikpowell]

When I'm back stateside, I fish and hunt in the Sacramento/San Joaquin river delta...
Doesn't the State recommend a maximum consumption of a ridiculously low amount of Striper there?
Like 8 ounces a month maximum ....
That's what I've heard..... is that the right number?
atsa darn  shame...... 

[Ron Jones]

I know that I grew up on much more than that and we are producing less mercury now.I take Everything I hear with a grain of salt, if it is from the state I take it with two grains.if it is from USFDA I assume it is a patent lie.
Ronald

[day0ne]

Not arguing that mercury is highly toxic and dangerous, but have an issue with the way they usually test fish. They grind the whole fish up and test for mercury. The problem is that the mercury in the fish is usually concentrated in the parts we don't eat. I would love to see the test results of just a fillet instead of the whole fish, guts and all.

[erikpowell]

Good point 

[day0ne]

Another one I have trouble with is tilefish. They have been on the list for years but they were only been officially tested once and all the fish tested came from the same spot , near a very old oil rig. The old rigs could be a source of mercury. No other tests have shown tilefish to have mercury, yet they are still on the list. According to blueocean.org, all fish have mercury, or at least that is how I read it. A lot of the "science" is suspect IMO. Once again, I'm not questioning the danger of mercury, just questioning how bad fish really are.

[floating doc]

If you're going to suspect the available data, then it seems logical that mercury levels may also be worse than reported.

[BMITCH]

I've got the answer.. Eat fish once a month and the rest should be catch and release!

[conchydong]

Another one I have trouble with is tilefish. They have been on the list for years but they were only been officially tested once and all the fish tested came from the same spot , near a very old oil rig. The old rigs could be a source of mercury. No other tests have shown tilefish to have mercury, yet they are still on the list. According to blueocean.org, all fish have mercury, or at least that is how I read it. A lot of the "science" is suspect IMO. Once again, I'm not questioning the danger of mercury, just questioning how bad fish really are.

Agree 100%.

[saltydog]

Well I definitely have an issue with the science and in the way it is broadcast to the public. I have been eating freshwater and saltwater fish 3 to 5 times a week for 45 years and wonder where they really get there data from, is it just to advance someone else's agenda or to discourage recreational take. If this stuff is so dangerous why is it still commercially sold to foreign countries by the millions of tons? Has anyone thought or even pushed that issue to the National marine fisheries? We can only have a couple of snapper a day for 15 days during the year but they harvest millions of pounds to be sold to other countries, our resource it outsourced that we pay for with our fishing licenses but we are the ones who are controlled to the point it is not worth paying for the trip to catch 2 fish, but they can harvest millions for the money! Just think about how many fish are caught and sold and that is where you fish are going, not because the recreational angler is taking to much but that commercial interests outweigh the needs of the resource or the ones who pay for it. Just a thought from someone who used to be one of those guys.

[saltydog]

That's just one species, it comes to millions of metric tons when you consider how bad it really is. And that's just from our waters because they have burned there own already.

[Ron Jones]

I don't know how not to make this political but I will try. I agree with SaltyDog. I see the primary problem being government regulation, which is almost always bad for whatever it says it is trying to help. None of this is going to stop me eating fish. My quality of life is way more important than a few years extra living.
Ron

[saltydog]

Not a bit political, I will eat fish till I die. Quality of life is more important.