FOR MORE
INFORMATION
For more information about reducing your health
risks from eating fish that contain chemical
pollutants, contact your local or state health or
environmental protection department. You can
find the telephone number in the blue section of
your local telephone directory.
You may also contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Fish Contamination Program (4305)
401M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
email address: www.epa.gov/ost/fishadvice
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA823-B-97-009
September 1997
Office of Science and Technology (4305)
AEFft Should I Eat the
Fish I Catch?
A guide to healthy
eating of the fish
you catch
Developed in collaboration with the Agency
d,!,,s!!!yU!5 for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,
U.S. Public Health Service
This brochure may be reproduced
without EPA permission at no charge.
Printed on recycled paper
INTRODUCTION
Fish are an important part of a healthy diet. They
are a lean, low-calorie source of protein. Some
sport fish caught in the nation's lakes, rivers,
oceans, and estuaries, however, may contain
chemicals that could pose health risks if these fish
are eaten in large amounts.
The purpose of this brochure is not to discourage
you from eating fish. It is intended as a guide to
help you select and prepare fish that are low in
chemical pollutants. By following these recommen-
dations, you and your family can continue to enjoy
the benefits of eating fish.
Fish taken from polluted waters might be hazard-
ous to your health. Eating fish containing chemical
pollutants may cause birth defects, liver damage,
cancer, and other serious health problems.
Chemical pollutants in water come from many
sources. They come from factories and sewage
treatment plants that you can easily see. They also
come from sources that you can't easily see, like
chemical spills or runoff from city streets and farm
fields. Pollutants are also carried long distances in
the air.
Fish may be exposed to chemical pollutants in the
water, and the food they eat. They may take up
some of the pollutants into their bodies. The
pollutants are found in the skin, fat, internal
organs, and sometimes muscle tissue of the fish.
What can I do to reduce my health
risks from eating fish containing
chemical pollutants ?
Following these steps can reduce your health
risks from eating fish containing chemical
pollutants. The rest of the brochure explains
these recommendations in more detail.
1. Call your local or state environmen-
tal health department. Contact them
before you fish to see if any advisories are
posted in areas where you want to fish.
2. Select certain kinds and sizes of fish
for eating. Younger fish contain fewer
pollutants than older, larger fish. Panfish
feed on insects and are less likely to build
up pollutants.
3. Clean and cook your fish properly.
Proper cleaning and cooking techniques may
reduce the levels of some chemical pollutants
in the fish.
Health Note
Advisories are different from fishing
restrictions or bans or limits.
Advisories are issued to provide
recommendations for limiting the
amount of fish to be eaten due to
levels of pollutants in the fish.
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CATCHING FISH
How can f find out if the wafers fhaf f
fish in are polluted?
It's almost impossible to tell if a water body is
polluted simply by looking at it. However, there are
ways to find out.
First, look to see if warning signs are posted along
the water's edge. If there are signs, follow the
advice printed on them.
Second, even if you don't see warning signs, call
your local or state health or environmental protec-
tion department and ask for their advice. Ask them
if there are any advisories on the kinds or sizes of
fish that may be eaten from the waters where you
plan to fish. You can also ask about fishing
advisories at local sporting goods or bait shops
where fishing licenses are sold.
If the waterbody has
not been tested,
follow these guide-
lines to reduce your
health risks from
eating fish that
might contain small
amounts of chemical
pollutants.
Health Note
Some chemical pollutants, such as mercury and
PCBs, can pose greater risks to women of
Chile/bearing age, pregnant women, nursing
mothers, and young children. This group should
be especially careful to greatly reduce or avoid
eating fish caught from polluted waters.
Do some fish contain more pollutants
than others?
Yes. You can't look at fish and tell if they contain
chemical pollutants. The only way to tell if fish
contain harmful levels of chemical pollutants is to
have them tested in a laboratory. Follow these
simple guidelines to lower the risk to your family:
• If you eat gamefish, such as lake trout, salmon,
walleye, and bass, eat the smaller, younger fish
(within legal limits). They are less likely to
contain harmful levels of pollutants than larger,
older fish.
• Eat panfish, such as bluegill, perch, stream trout,
and smelt. They feed on insects and other
aquatic life and are less likely to contain high
levels of harmful pollutants.
• Eat fewer fatty fish, such as lake trout, or fish
that feed on the bottoms of lakes and streams
such as catfish and carp. These fish are more
likely to contain higher levels of chemical
pollutants.
CLEANING FISH
Can f clean my fish to reduce the
amount of chemical pollutants fhaf
might be present?
Yes. It's always a good idea to remove the skin, fat,
and internal organs (where harmful pollutants are
most likely to accumulate) before you cook the fish.
As an added precaution:
• Remove and throw away the head, guts,
kidneys, and the liver.
• Fillet fish and cut away the fat and
skin before you cook it.
• Clean and dress fish as soon as possible.
Trim away the skin and fatty tissue before cooking to
reduce the level of some pollutants in the fish you eat.
back fat
body fat
Health Note
Mercury is found throughout the tissue in fish, so
these cleaning and cooking techniques will not
reduce the amount of mercury in a meal of fish.
Remember that with any fresh meat, always
follow proper food handling and storage tech-
niques. To prevent the growth of bacteria or
viruses, keep freshly caught fish on ice and out of
direct sunlight.
COOKING FISH
Can f cook my fish to reduce my
health risk from eating fish containing
chemical pollutants?
Yes. The way you cook fish can make a difference
in the kinds and amounts of chemical pollutants
remaining in the fish. Fish should be properly
prepared and grilled, baked, or broiled. By letting
belly fat
the fat drain away, you can remove pollutants
stored in the fatty parts of the fish. Added precau-
tions include:
• Avoid or reduce the amount of fish drippings
or broth that you use to flavor the meal. These
drippings may contain higher levels of
pollutants.
• Eat less fried or deep fat-fried fish because
frying seals any chemical pollutants that might
be in the fish's fat into the portion that you will
eat.
• If you like smoked fish, it is best to fillet the fish
and remove the skin before the fish is smoked.
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