Despite Mercury Warnings, Americans Eat 13 Million Pounds Of Ohio River Fish Annually

[hatrack]

People are eating an estimated 13 million pounds of fish per year from the Ohio River — and that doesn’t count fish caught by commercial fishers. Yes, there’s a commercial fishery, too, along the 981-mile Ohio River.

“There’s a stigma that only when you are desperately starving would you go eat fish from the Ohio River,” said Jason Flicker, the water resources program director for the Kentucky Waterways Alliance, a statewide environmental advocacy organization.

A new recreation survey of more than 5,000 people who live in communities in the river’s eight-state watershed, however, challenges that notion. Not only does the survey by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission indicate widespread fishing and fish consumption — despite various health warnings from mercury and other pollutants — it suggests more than 1.2 million people each year are using the river for recreational activities such as boating, waterskiing, swimming, hunting and fishing.

Among the most heavily used stretches of the river is its middle section, which runs roughly from the West Virginia border to just below the Louisville area. “This perception of it being a dirty river and that it shouldn’t be touched is diminishing,” Flickner said. “This shows we need to continue to improve the river’s water quality for public health.”

EDIT

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100315/NEWS01/303150068/Survey%20%2013%20million%20pounds%20of%20Ohio%20River%20fish%20eaten%20annually

[rfranklin]

1. That's about 1 million pounds of mercury consumed?

"No need for a thermometer, Honey!" he said as he raised his glowing forefinger.

[Orrex]

2. I only eat Ohio River fish that have been vaccinated with Thimerosal

[Cirque du So-What]

3. I used to occasionally eat fish caught in the Ohio River

The last one was a 25-lb catfish that tasted like diesel fuel smells, hence it was the last one.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. I learned that the bag limits on some fish are not set by sustainablility standards...

but by the mercury levels found in them.
Awesome!

I don't let it bother me. Fish is fish.

[Statistical]

5. What is the half-life of mercury? n/t

[Dover]

6. I've pretty much eliminated fish from my diet, regardless of source.

The oceans and river waters are so contaminated these days, and get so concentrated in the fish that I have just decided not to eat it. It was taking far too much energy to try and sort out which fish might be 'okay' and which was not.

And besides, the oceans and rivers are over fished as it is. Our culture isn't the worst culprit but it doesn't matter. I hope people will send a message by refusing to eat contaminated fish from a poorly regulated fishing industry.

[Nihil]

7. Well, that certainly explains some things doesn't it?

> Not only does the survey by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
> indicate widespread fishing and fish consumption — despite various health
> warnings from mercury and other pollutants — it suggests more than 1.2 million
> people each year are using the river for recreational activities such as boating,
> waterskiing, swimming, hunting and fishing.

Maybe it's not just the quality of the news media to blame ...?
:shrug:

[unlegendary]

8. Have you ever known these people?

I'm from Dayton, OH, but now live in the by-bull belt in Irving TX, but as to my recollection of the people who bother to go fish'n in them there parts are also the same people who if they just by happenstance managed to drop a bit of prime rib in the commode right after relieving themselves of yesterdays meal would probably just wipe it on their shirt... Waste not, want not.. Of course one of their brethren now live in Texas as the cold weather was just to much up yonder..

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Oh hell, what's the big deal?

.
.
.

We KNOW that smoking cigarettes Kills us by the millions

Alcohol does the same.

Driving cars kills thousands a year,

so does eating fast foods . . . ;

and so on . . .

If we tried a perfect lifestyle

We would die of BOREDOM!

:silly: