Part 3
Fish: Eating Good, Eating Safe –
Contaminants, Mercury, Pollutants – Oh My!
By Janet Watkins
April 28, 2008
Sardines and saltine crackers with a can or two of Vienna sausages on the kitchen table could only mean one thing at my house—Dad and Uncle Italy were going night fishing. They would get us kids to dig for night crawlers (brown earthworms) for bait. Tackle box, rods, flashlights, thermoses of water and coffee were loaded into Dad’s 1955 Chevy and then he would drive off into the night in pursuit of male sibling bonding and a good catch of silver bass, catfish, and on less favorable junkets sheep head.
As a child I didn’t like sardines. There was something about seeing those poor little beheaded fish lying in a can of oil that caused my face and nose to turn up in disgust. Yuck. What a contradiction since seeing larger species of fish dressed in cornmeal and frying in hot oil never bother me at all! Sardines were my Dad’s favorite snack. Good news as they are some of the most heart healthy and least contaminated fish you can eat.
Contaminants, Mercury and Pollutants
Sardines are one of the least contaminated fish you can eat. According to the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) sardines rank 5th among seafood with very low contaminant levels. Good news as they are some of the most heart healthy “brain” foods you can eat. But other species of fish, particularly the larger more mature varieties can contain high concentrations of PCBs, dioxins and other pollutants. Industrial and municipal discharges, agricultural methods and storm water runoff – including rainfall that rinses contaminants into the land, streams and rivers bioaccumulate in the skin, organs and other fatty tissues of fish. Many pollutants settle on the water’s floor and adversely affect bottom-dwelling fish like -- wild striped bass, bluefish, American eel, and sea trout – all ten to be high in PCBs.
Mercury
Mercury occurs naturally, but also comes from smokestacks mining and other industrial processes. As it moves from the air and settles in our waterways it turns into methyl mercury and absorbed by fish. Larger and older fish have a longer time to build up mercury than smaller and younger fish. Predatory fish at the top of the food chain broadly have higher levels of mercury. Without question or debate mercury toxicity poisoning from fish is a health threat. It is threatening to prenatal development and pregnant women are advised to avoid and use extreme caution when eating fish. Young children’s fish consumption should be smaller than adults. It is recommended 1-2 ounces for toddlers and 2-3 ounces for older children. Shrimp and “chunk-light” canned tuna canned are best selections to serve children. They contain lowest mercury levels.
Contaminants Impact on Health
Mercury, PCBs and dioxins build up and concentrate in our bodies over time. Eating contaminated fish may result in effects that are minimal to birth defects and cancer. It takes 5 years or more for women in childbearing years to rid their bodies of PCBs, 12-18 months to significantly free their body burden of mercury. Mothers who consume contaminated fish prior to becoming pregnant may have children who are slower to develop and learn.
To eat, or not to eat fish, that is the question?
It is about now that you may be thinking, “I’ll forego eating fish …”—a logical place to end up in this fish drama. But studies and statistics support the overwhelming benefits that come from eating fish cannot be ignored. Returning to that Harvard School of Public Health study shows a modest amount of fish per week reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 36%.
Fish is high in protein low in fat and rich in Omega-3 fatty acid. Following the marine food chain, algae make one type of Omega-3 fatty acid. It is consumed by zooplankton and stretched to form two other types of Omega-3 acids. Zooplankton becomes the food for finfish and shellfish, resulting in a high concentration of Omega-3. The benefits show up in cardiovascular health and are important for prenatal and postnatal neurological development. There is also evidence that it may reduce tissue inflammation and alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Other maladies omega-3 may play a beneficial role include cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), depression and irritable bowel syndrome.
Part 4: Fish: Eating Good, Eating Safe
Follow the Rules
Janet Watkins is a freelance writer living and blogging from the Midwest at www.insidewords.blogspot.com.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Fish: Eating Good, Eating Safe – Habitat & Sustainability
By Janet Watkins
March 23, 2008
Wading along the river, sand squishing between our toes my siblings and I were completely captivated by the life we found along the shoreline. Like marine biologists, we studied the activity that swam near the shoreline, following silver minnows that wiggled between the rocks and pebbles. Our parents, sat close by keeping an eye on their fishing lines and us.
“Hey, Lou looks like you got one!” my uncle shouted. Dad moved quickly lifting the rod from its rest. We chanted, “Daddy caught a fish! Daddy caught a fish,” and watched as he spun the reel and pulled on the rod until the end of the line finally emerged from the water. Hanging from the hook a beautiful silver bass wiggled wildly. Dad caught several of them that day.
Later, as we feasted on cornmeal coated fried silver bass served with home fries and coleslaw; we had little concern or knowledge about the health of the fish from the river. But, by the early 1960s the environmental quality of the Great Lakes basin had deteriorated. Today, fish consumption advisories are commonplace for nearly all of the world’s waters.
SUSTAINABILITY
Habitat Damage
The Great Lakes is the world’s largest freshwater source containing 90% of the U.S. surface drinking water. A vibrant ecosystem, fish, migratory waterfowl, human and wildlife benefit from this vast watershed, but excessive runoff, over fishing, and toxic substances threatens its vitality. Did you know that it could take hundreds of years to recycle and restore fragile ecosystems like the Great Lakes? The ocean floor needs centuries to grow back! But, “trawl fleets,” to keep up with our hungry demand for fish, dredge the seafloor plundering coral reef, habitats, and seaweed with unintentional side effects and severe consequences for marine life. It may be the single most damage done to the marine environment by man. Many restaurants and stores list fishing methods and, there is an increasing call to make this information more widely available. Habitat-friendly methods: hook-and-line fishing, longlining and trap fishing. Ask the method by which the fish were caught when ordering your favorite from the menu or the market.
By-catch
American consumers boycott of tuna had a tremendous impact on the fishing industry, in an effort to protest and protect the toll on dolphins and other by-catch – animals caught unintentionally by fishing gear. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization one in four animals caught as by-catch dies. Tons of dead fish are thrown out. Dolphins, sea turtles, seals, whales and seabirds are regularly caught, and accidentally killed.
Overfishing
Over fishing happens when the rate of catching fish exceeds the rate at which they can reproduce. Simple and to the point, fish that were once plentiful become depleted, fishing fleets move on to new species, and over fish them to extinction. Slow-growing types like orange roughy and Chilean sea bass are particularly at risk. Check out Hooked – Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish by G. Bruce Knecht for a dramatic global fish true whodunit story about the pursuit of Chilean Sea Bass in the icy waters of the Antarctica. It will cause you to think twice about what you order your next meal out.
Aquaculture
Controlled cultivation of fish or “fish farms” has given rise to what is known as aquaculture. Not a panacea, but an effort to change current problematic fishing methods, the aquaculture industry now produces one-third of the seafood we eat. But, even this approach has side effects. Fish farms can pose a threat to the environment, too.
Farm shellfish
Oysters and most clams and mollusks are farm raised. And, these farms are kind to the environment – yippee! – indeed, they improve water quality (mollusks work as filters). Shellfish require non-polluted water to grow in; therefore these farms are often diligently involved in clean water initiative.
Farm salmon
Eating farm raised salmon – not a good choice. Over crowded net pens become polluted and fish become diseased. Pollution and disease spread to wild fish, antibiotics used leak into the water. Salmon escaping the pens can overtake wild habitats, and the fishmeal used as feed is often made with fish that contain toxins. Bummer! If you must buy farm raised salmon, look for markets that sell organic salmon sourced from the North Atlantic, off the coasts of Ireland, Nova Scotia and Scotland with European organic certification such as the Soil Association a British based agency.
Part 3: Mercury, Pollutants, Contaminants – Oh my!
Janet Watkins is a freelance writer living and blogging from the Midwest at http://www.insidewords.blogspot.com/.
By Janet Watkins
March 23, 2008
Wading along the river, sand squishing between our toes my siblings and I were completely captivated by the life we found along the shoreline. Like marine biologists, we studied the activity that swam near the shoreline, following silver minnows that wiggled between the rocks and pebbles. Our parents, sat close by keeping an eye on their fishing lines and us.
“Hey, Lou looks like you got one!” my uncle shouted. Dad moved quickly lifting the rod from its rest. We chanted, “Daddy caught a fish! Daddy caught a fish,” and watched as he spun the reel and pulled on the rod until the end of the line finally emerged from the water. Hanging from the hook a beautiful silver bass wiggled wildly. Dad caught several of them that day.
Later, as we feasted on cornmeal coated fried silver bass served with home fries and coleslaw; we had little concern or knowledge about the health of the fish from the river. But, by the early 1960s the environmental quality of the Great Lakes basin had deteriorated. Today, fish consumption advisories are commonplace for nearly all of the world’s waters.
SUSTAINABILITY
Habitat Damage
The Great Lakes is the world’s largest freshwater source containing 90% of the U.S. surface drinking water. A vibrant ecosystem, fish, migratory waterfowl, human and wildlife benefit from this vast watershed, but excessive runoff, over fishing, and toxic substances threatens its vitality. Did you know that it could take hundreds of years to recycle and restore fragile ecosystems like the Great Lakes? The ocean floor needs centuries to grow back! But, “trawl fleets,” to keep up with our hungry demand for fish, dredge the seafloor plundering coral reef, habitats, and seaweed with unintentional side effects and severe consequences for marine life. It may be the single most damage done to the marine environment by man. Many restaurants and stores list fishing methods and, there is an increasing call to make this information more widely available. Habitat-friendly methods: hook-and-line fishing, longlining and trap fishing. Ask the method by which the fish were caught when ordering your favorite from the menu or the market.
By-catch
American consumers boycott of tuna had a tremendous impact on the fishing industry, in an effort to protest and protect the toll on dolphins and other by-catch – animals caught unintentionally by fishing gear. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization one in four animals caught as by-catch dies. Tons of dead fish are thrown out. Dolphins, sea turtles, seals, whales and seabirds are regularly caught, and accidentally killed.
Overfishing
Over fishing happens when the rate of catching fish exceeds the rate at which they can reproduce. Simple and to the point, fish that were once plentiful become depleted, fishing fleets move on to new species, and over fish them to extinction. Slow-growing types like orange roughy and Chilean sea bass are particularly at risk. Check out Hooked – Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish by G. Bruce Knecht for a dramatic global fish true whodunit story about the pursuit of Chilean Sea Bass in the icy waters of the Antarctica. It will cause you to think twice about what you order your next meal out.
Aquaculture
Controlled cultivation of fish or “fish farms” has given rise to what is known as aquaculture. Not a panacea, but an effort to change current problematic fishing methods, the aquaculture industry now produces one-third of the seafood we eat. But, even this approach has side effects. Fish farms can pose a threat to the environment, too.
Farm shellfish
Oysters and most clams and mollusks are farm raised. And, these farms are kind to the environment – yippee! – indeed, they improve water quality (mollusks work as filters). Shellfish require non-polluted water to grow in; therefore these farms are often diligently involved in clean water initiative.
Farm salmon
Eating farm raised salmon – not a good choice. Over crowded net pens become polluted and fish become diseased. Pollution and disease spread to wild fish, antibiotics used leak into the water. Salmon escaping the pens can overtake wild habitats, and the fishmeal used as feed is often made with fish that contain toxins. Bummer! If you must buy farm raised salmon, look for markets that sell organic salmon sourced from the North Atlantic, off the coasts of Ireland, Nova Scotia and Scotland with European organic certification such as the Soil Association a British based agency.
Part 3: Mercury, Pollutants, Contaminants – Oh my!
Janet Watkins is a freelance writer living and blogging from the Midwest at http://www.insidewords.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Fish:
Eating Good, Eating Safe
By Janet Watkins
February 29, 2008
I love eating fish. It is on my menu at least twice a week. Salmon and tilapia are particular favorites. I enjoy catfish, too, even though I should avoid eating it according to the Eat Right For Your Type diet (which I follow, generally). But the mercury warnings and concerns about sustainability are enough to make a person holler and forego marine edibles altogether.
As a child, I spent many weekends with my family along the banks of the Detroit River or at some other nearby lake where we would drop lines baited with hopes of snagging the fresh catch of the day. Fish was a mainstay. Mercury and PCB levels were not the concern it is today. Greenpeace red lists did not exist. The destructive practices of fisheries that have put many species at high risk were not widely acknowledged nor publicly known back in the day. And, while intuitively my mother knew eating fish was good food for us, there was no research hailing its health benefits like the Harvard Public Health study, which states eating modest amounts of fish each week reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 36% and overall mortality by 17%.
Doctors and health experts all agree that the benefits that come from eating fish outweigh the risks. But given the ongoing health warnings and environmental concerns, what’s a fish lover to do?
Remember the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland? His madness was likely due to the mercury leeching from that top hat he wore. Before its use was banned in the 1940s, mercury was used in the curing of some felt hats. Scientific evidence shows that many of the hat makers suffered severe neurological effects from inhaling the fumes during the hat making process. Many workers experienced psychotic symptoms and hallucinations, as mercury poisoning progressed. So what does this have to do with eating fish? You don’t have to be in the hat making business to be worried about mercury – it has invaded our waters. And, therefore shows up in the fish we eat.
Understanding the threats to the marine environment can help us make informed decisions about eating fish. Learning about the pollution issues of our water can help us steer clear of contaminated fish.
Next: Habitat and Sustainability
By Janet Watkins
February 29, 2008
I love eating fish. It is on my menu at least twice a week. Salmon and tilapia are particular favorites. I enjoy catfish, too, even though I should avoid eating it according to the Eat Right For Your Type diet (which I follow, generally). But the mercury warnings and concerns about sustainability are enough to make a person holler and forego marine edibles altogether.
As a child, I spent many weekends with my family along the banks of the Detroit River or at some other nearby lake where we would drop lines baited with hopes of snagging the fresh catch of the day. Fish was a mainstay. Mercury and PCB levels were not the concern it is today. Greenpeace red lists did not exist. The destructive practices of fisheries that have put many species at high risk were not widely acknowledged nor publicly known back in the day. And, while intuitively my mother knew eating fish was good food for us, there was no research hailing its health benefits like the Harvard Public Health study, which states eating modest amounts of fish each week reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 36% and overall mortality by 17%.
Doctors and health experts all agree that the benefits that come from eating fish outweigh the risks. But given the ongoing health warnings and environmental concerns, what’s a fish lover to do?
Remember the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland? His madness was likely due to the mercury leeching from that top hat he wore. Before its use was banned in the 1940s, mercury was used in the curing of some felt hats. Scientific evidence shows that many of the hat makers suffered severe neurological effects from inhaling the fumes during the hat making process. Many workers experienced psychotic symptoms and hallucinations, as mercury poisoning progressed. So what does this have to do with eating fish? You don’t have to be in the hat making business to be worried about mercury – it has invaded our waters. And, therefore shows up in the fish we eat.
Understanding the threats to the marine environment can help us make informed decisions about eating fish. Learning about the pollution issues of our water can help us steer clear of contaminated fish.
Next: Habitat and Sustainability
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