Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]We were just discussing (on BFT) the lack of info on the tests for PCB for fish species on Utah Lake, other than carp. I just got a copy of the new advisory, which includes channel cats but clears white bass, walleyes and bullhead cats. (see attached)[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It was not broken down by size or age of the fish, but from what I have been told, the levels are elevated in larger and older fish. Another good reason for letting the bigguns go. Both channel cats and carp live much longer and are higher on the food chain than the other predators...which naturally means they ingest more of the PCBs from lower level food chain members and further concentrate it in their oily tissues as they grow older and bigger.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I just got through with a telephone interview with Tom Wharton, of the Tribune. He will be doing an article on this news release in the paper tomorrow. If nobody beats me to it, I will post a link early in the morning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will be away from the computer all afternoon, so I will not be available for personal comments for awhile. [/#0000ff]
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[#ff0000]EDIT: Reader friendly version:[/#ff0000]
[#ff0000][/#ff0000] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2007 Contacts: Christina McNaughton, UDOH (801) 538-6191 John Whitehead, DEQ (801) 538-6053 Reed Harris, DNR (801) 538-7420 �Fish Advisory Issued for Channel Catfish, Expanded for Carp in Utah Lake

Salt Lake City, Utah* After finding high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Utah Lake, state officials have issued a fish consumption advisory for channel catfish, and a previous advisory issued in May 2006 for carp has been revised based on new information. The PCBs were found in samples taken from the lake as part of an effort by the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Department of Health, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
PCBs are mixtures of up to 209 individual chlorinated compounds. PCBs are oil liquids or solids consisting of man-made chemicals that are not naturally found in the environment.
Fish consumption advisory signs will be posted at access points to Utah Lake stating: �The Utah Department of Health recommends consumption of carp fillets from Utah Lake be limited to one 4-ounce meal per month for adults. Children, pregnant women and women that can become pregnant should not consume any carp fillets from Utah Lake. Utah Department of Health recommends consumption of channel catfish fillets from Utah Lake be limited to one 4-ounce meal per month for adults. Children, pregnant women and women that can become pregnant should not consume any channel catfish fillets from Utah Lake. The offal (all tissue except the fillet) of any fish species tested from Utah Lake in this study (i.e. black bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, walleye, and white bass) should not be consumed due to high levels of PCBs.
Eating more than these amounts over a long period of time could result in an intake of PCBs that exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency health recommendations.� Any health risks associated with eating carp and channel catfish from Utah Lake are based on long-term consumption and are not tied to eating fish occasionally. There are no health risks associated with PCBs for other uses of the lake, such as swimming, boating and water skiing.�
Black bullhead, white bass and walleye fillets were also tested and found to be safe for human consumption. The fish were collected as a follow up to the PCB advisory that was issued for carp in 2006. Because different standards are used for animal feed, all of the fish species tested are still considered safe for use as animal feed. �
PCBs can be attached to sediments, with no effect to water quality. � Because PCBs accumulate in fat, removing the skin and fat from fish fillets can significantly reduce exposure to PCBs from fish. �Information about how to prepare fish is available at [url "http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/30cwafish.pdf"]http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/30cwafish.pdf[/url].
Information about the advisory and the health effects of PCBs is available at [url "http://www.fishadvisories.utah.gov/"]http://www.fishadvisories.utah.gov[/url] ([url "http://www.fishadvisories.utah.gov/"][url "http://www.fishadvisories.utah.gov/"]http://www.fishadvisories.utah.gov[/url]/[/url] ).
Because elevated levels of PCBs were found in carp, other fish species were collected and analyzed this summer. An environmental investigation will be initiated as an effort to identify and clean up the source of PCBs, if possible.
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[black][size 3]In case you have a dial-up connection or don't have the time to follow all of the links supplied in the PDF article that TD referenced, here are some tips from one of the links in the article regarding eating fish from waters with higher levels of PCB's.[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]From that article: [/size][/black]

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.

Can I clean my fish to reduce the
amount of chemical pollutants that
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.
Remember that with any fresh meat, always follow
proper food handling and storage techniques. To
prevent the growth of bacteria or viruses, keep freshly caught fish on ice and out of direct sunlight.


Can I 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 the fat drain away, you can remove pollutants stored in the fatty parts of the fish.

Added precautions 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.


[black][size 3]The preceeding info came from this [/size][/black][url "http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/files/30cwafish.pdf"][black][size 4]LINK[/size][/black][/url].
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[black][size 3]As Pat pointed out, it's a great reason to let those BIG CATFISH go back to their eating of the CARP and reproducing more BIG CATFISH.[][/size][/black]
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Wharton's story is already on the Trib's site. Nice quotes TD


[url "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7062719"]http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7062719[/url]
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Thanks for the update. While it is that the channel cats were put on advisory, the fact that several other species were cleared was surprisingly good news IMO.


Many anglers also have concerns about mercury toxicity in the fish they eat. As is generally known, several Utah waters were put on mercury advisory the past 2 years. Some still need to be tested. One may find it interesting to note that Utah Lake has already had several species tested. Here are the results. The advisory level is .3 mg/kg and up. The mean, number tested, the min and the max are represented in the 4 columns.

1. White bass .017, 5, .014, .022
2. Bullhead .043, 5, .026, .066
3. walleye .015, 1
4. channel catfish .020, 1
5. crappie .012, 1

All tested fish were WELL BELOW the action level of .30 mg/kg.

Numbers are from the report released by the Utah department of Health, Bureau of epidemiology, on April 11 2007.
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[cool][#0000ff]I had not heard the numbers on the mercury testing. Do you have a copy of the report, or a link to where it might be found online?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thanks.[/#0000ff]
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Here you go.

[url "http://health.utah.gov/epi/enviroepi/FishHgStatewide2007Final.pdf"]http://health.utah.gov/epi/enviroepi/FishHgStatewide2007Final.pdf[/url]


Utah lake results are on pg. 47, Appendix B, Table 22.

One can peruse appendix B and check your favorite pond or stream and see if it has been tested yet. (and what the results are if done)
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For those with slow computers, here's the article! Pollution warning on Utah Lake fish Some contain chemicals; limited eating advised [url "mailto:wharton@sltrib.com?subject=Salt Lake Tribune: Pollution warning on Utah Lake fish"][#000000]By Tom Wharton
The Salt Lake Tribune[/#000000][/url] Article Last Updated: 10/03/2007 01:34:07 AM MDT
Click photo to enlarge [url "http://www.sltrib.com/portlet/article/html/render_gallery.jsp?articleId=7069172&siteId=297&startImage=1"][/url] An angler pulls a catfish from Utah Lake on Tuesday.... (Paul Fraughton/The Salt Lake Tribune ) [ul] [li][url "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7069172#"]«[/url][/li] [li][url "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7069172#"]1[/url][/li] [li][url "http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7069172#"]»[/url][/li][/ul] A new fish advisory issued Tuesday for Utah Lake came as no surprise to Taylorsville's Pat Scouten.
Scouten is an avid Utah Lake angler who has been carefully cleaning and cooking his channel catfish for several years because of suspicions that the fish contain polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs.
The Utah Departments of Health, Natural Resources and Environmental Quality issued an advisory, which will be posted at access points to Utah Lake, warning anglers about PCBs, which are mixtures of up to 209 individual chlorinated compounds that are oil liquids or solids consisting of man-made chemicals not naturally found in the environment.
The advisory recommends that consumption of carp and channel catfish be limited to one 4-ounce meal per month for adults, and that children, pregnant women and women who can become pregnant avoid eating those fish from Utah Lake.
In addition, offal - all tissue except the fillet - of Utah Lake fish, such as black bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, walleye and white bass should not be consumed.
Christina McNaughton, health hazard assessment manager and toxicologist for the Utah Department of Health, said that anglers could eat fillets from black bullheads, white bass and walleye caught in the lake with little concern about PCBs.
"We're not seeing the PCBs elevated in these species because they are not bottom

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feeders," she said. "Channel cats and carp feed on the bottom sediments."
PCBs are found in the sediments at the bottom of Utah Lake and have no effect on water quality. That means swimming, boating or using irrigation water from Utah Lake should have no ill effects on humans.
The state agencies emphasized that any health risks associated with eating carp and channel catfish from Utah Lake are based on long-term consumption and are not tied to eating fish occasionally.
Scouten has worried about PCBs for years and the new findings just confirm what he suspected - especially in the bigger and older Utah Lake channel catfish, which are oily. PCBs concentrate in those oily areas.
"The method of preparation can negate part of the problem," he said. "When I filet a catfish, I cut out the sensory tissue along the lateral line under the skin. Then I use a high heat system of cooking. I do some heavy frying in peanut oil to extract even more of the oils. My personal theory is that younger and smaller catfish are not as potentially toxic as some of the 10- to 15-pounders people catch."
Scouten has fished Utah Lake since the 1960s, when many of the fish caught smelled strongly of creosote that came from the old Geneva Steel Plant.
Scouten does not eat many catfish caught at Utah Lake, instead preferring to consume channel cats he catches at cleaner Willard Bay that are in the 15- to 17-inch range. The angler, whose personal record channel catfish from Utah Lake is 24 pounds, said he seldom keeps any fish over 6 pounds because of concerns about PCBs and because the bigger fish just don't taste as good.
"Everything that wasn't needed was dumped into Utah Lake over the decades," he said. "That includes agricultural and industrial runoff and waste from municipalities . . .. The residues would scare you if you did core samples. Some of the stuff there will be with us forever."
The state agencies said information about how to prepare fish can be found at the Web site www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/30cwafish.pdf and information about the advisory and health effects of PCBs is available at www.fishadvisories.utah.gov.
Meanwhile, the state has modified its mercury advisory for hunters on eating northern shovelers, common goldeneyes and cinnamon teal they might kill during the upcoming waterfowl season. Now, the agencies said, the three duck species can be eaten on a limited basis.
According to Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman Mark Hadley, the do-not-eat advisory was changed after biologists collected ducks from hunters during the 2005-2006 season.
"These ducks were collected in the fall, which is the time of year when ducks are being shot and eaten," according to Hadley. "The ducks collected in the fall had less mercury in them than the ducks biologists had collected earlier that spring."
For consumption advisories on the three ducks, log on to www.waterfowladvisories.
utah.gov.
wharton@sltrib.com
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks, Bro. I passed that along to the guys at the Tribune, just in case they might want to do a followup story on the Mercury issue. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There were a couple of bad jokes going around down in Louisiana, when I was back there on a work assignment a few years ago...before Katrina. One was that night fishing was easy because all the fish glowed in the dark. The other was that you could use fish as thermometers because they had so much mercury in them. It was strongly advised that you not use the spiny ones for rectal thermometers.[/#0000ff]
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Well on that chart you do have to be really careful about how you read it. The chart shows Mercury testing throughout the state and that alone. PCBs and Mercury are two different things. PCBs are things such as man made petroleum based chemicals and others. Mercury will build up in fish through consumption of other fish and happens everywhere. Mercury concetrations are not what they are advising for. Not to offend anyone Just for anyone who would like to know. However, I would like to see the PCB results if anyone can find them!
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First off, welcome to the board. The link to the report I posted above does only discuss mercury. I thought I had explained that but maybe not. The reason I brought up the Utah lake mercury results to the discussion on PCB's was to point out that the white bass, walleye, and bullheads have now been tested for both PCB's AND mercury and have been found safe to eat.

As far as I know, there are no plans to do statewide PCB testing on most of the fisheries in the state. Utah lake game fish were tested for PCB's due to high PCB levels in carp. The carp were tested as part of the June sucker program as they were trying to figure out possible uses for netted carp. The difficulty the Health Dept. is having in getting money from the legislature to finish the mercury testing would suggest that testing for other toxins may never get done elsewhere.
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[cool][#0000ff]Not to make light of a serious situation, but there is a good cartoon in the Tribune this morning.[/#0000ff]
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I see a need for another attachment on me ol' buddy's tube.

A black light!

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Hahaha... That's pretty good. I think between smoking and then charring a bit on the BBQ, most of those oils are long gone. No worries here. [cool]
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I bought a black light cause I fish and eat from UL, then turned the light on and shockingly I glow in the dark, is that a bad thing? LOL

One thing to remember is that UL feeds all the plants in the utah county and salt lake county so everyone is eating it to a dilluted extent.
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