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State advises consumption limits on fish
MDE says high levels of carcinogen found in local striped bass and blues
Friday, June 5, 2009
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Maryland environmental officials are warning folks to stop eating or drastically reduce their intake of rockfish — striped bass — and bluefish that are caught in local waterways because of high levels of a banned chemical that is known to cause cancer.
The Maryland Department of the Environment issued a fish consumption advisory regarding rockfish and bluefish because of high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls — commonly known as PCBs — found in those fish caught in Atlantic coastal waters, according to a 2008 report by the MDE's Eastern Coastal Striped Bass and Bluefish Consumption Advisory Workgroup. The waterways include the Potomac, Patuxent and Wicomico rivers and Mattawoman Creek in western Charles County.
When asked if the advisory would hurt recreational fishing party captains, Gary Sacks of Ridge said, "I'm sure it will."
While his Marica Charter Fishing business has held steady during the opening spring seasons lately, summer fishing parties are half of what they were a few years ago due to the recession and declines in fish species, Sacks said. When people hear about the advised dangers of eating the fish the recreational fishing business will suffer.
The strict advisory came quickly, Sacks said. He said that although bluefish have "had a rap" for many years, rockfish have enjoyed a healthy consumption since their comeback from the drastic decline in the 1970s and 1980s.
"As early as last year they said they were fine to eat," fisherman Buddy Schuh of Dameron said of the Chesapeake Bay's rockfish.
"Any guy that runs fishing parties, it could pretty much wipe him out," Schuh said.
The fish should not be eaten at all by sensitive populations such as pregnant women, women of childbearing age, nursing mothers and children 6 and younger, said Kim Lamphier, MDE's spokeswoman, in a press release.
Adults should limit the consumption of rockfish to 8 ounces a month — or one serving — and children should eat no more than one ounce a month, Lamphier said.
Adults should restrict consumption of bluefish to 8 ounces every other month and children should limit the intake to 1 ounce every other month, Lamphier said.
Bluefish more than 20 inches long and large migratory striped bass tend to contain higher levels of PCBs, which is a known carcinogen, Lamphier said in the release. The high PCB levels in the two species of fish are causing concern among state environmental experts, she said.
"I like eating fish," Schuh said, adding that he will have fish once a week most of the year. He said he would want to hear more information about the advisory before changing his eating habits. "That's going to put a different light on it, I guess," Schuh said. "This Chesapeake Bay is in terrible shape."
"This effort reflects the benefits of cooperation across state lines to protect public health," said Rich Eskin, MDE's science services director, in the release. "To protect public health MDE will monitor PCB levels in coastal marine striped bass and bluefish and we will update consumption advisories as needed."
Fisherman Warren Willett of White Plains said he has been fishing in the Potomac River all his life. The advisory does cause some concern but Willet said he will probably still enjoy a meal of striped bass once in awhile.
"I'll probably still eat it but not as much," he said. "I've been eating rockfish for 35 to 40 years. Now they're saying that we shouldn't eat it at all."
The elevated level of PCBs in striped bass is disappointing news, said Jim Long, coordinator of the Mattawoman Watershed Society in western Charles County.
"The region of the Potomac River where the Mattawoman Creek feeds is prime spawning ground for striped bass and it also serves as a nursery for their young," he said. "It's a shame that we've come to this level … We really shouldn't accept this. This is another important issue that is related to urbanization and chemical pollution."
Other states that are issuing similar consumption advisories are Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Delaware, Lamphier said.
The announcement comes just one day before Gov. Martin O'Malley announced that Maryland joined with the states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia to announce a new Mid-Atlantic ocean partnership designed to address the region's priority ocean issues including offshore energy, climate change, water quality, and habitat protection. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean will advocate in one voice to leverage greater state influence on the management of offshore areas and help guide federal and interstate actions and resources.
