Ever since I used to be a child, I’ve been consuming freshwater fish.
Spending summers on Sebago Lake in southern Maine, we frequently caught and ate landlocked salmon, lake trout and even an occasional smallmouth bass or cusk.
Yearly, on or across the Fourth of July, now we have held a household cookout that options grilled freshwater fish. A few of it comes from Sebago, whereas different contributions — which can embrace brook trout, whitefish or different species — even have been offered from quite a lot of waters.
We at all times eat our fill and have by no means given it a lot of a thought — apart from to depart room for one of many tasty desserts that capped off the gathering.
However instances are altering.
The Maine Middle for Illness Management and Prevention on Thursday launched consumption advisories after testing of freshwater fish in some waters revealed elevated levels of so-called forever chemicals.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present in fish inhabiting waters close to websites recognized to include the chemical substances have created vital trigger for concern about what fish we eat and the way a lot.
PFAS are recognized to current a number of potential well being points, resembling elevated threat of kidney and testicular most cancers, elevated the danger of hypertension or pre-eclampsia in pregnant girls, decrease toddler delivery weights, a decreased vaccine response in youngsters, larger levels of cholesterol and modifications in liver enzyme ranges.
Whereas it’s actually no time to panic, Mainers should nonetheless acknowledge that PFAS in fish is a matter that we’ll be coping with for the foreseeable future.
The state has barely begun its testing of potential “scorching spots,” most of that are situated the place waste from sewage remedy vegetation or different sludge has been unfold on farm fields.
The chemical substances in that sludge have contaminated the soil and the groundwater, together with a few of the wildlife residing on or across the farms. Final fall, the Maine Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued a “do not eat” advisory for deer harvested in and across the city of Fairfield due to elevated PFAS ranges.
Not too long ago, the state stated meat from wild turkeys harvested from the identical areas was not of serious concern due to decrease chemical ranges and the restricted quantity of meat that’s consumed.
Nonetheless, till extra websites are evaluated, and the fish and animals are examined, we received’t have a transparent image of how in depth the issue is likely to be.
It is sensible to strategy the state of affairs a lot as now we have dealt with the presence of the heavy metallic mercury in fish, although the chemical substances and their results on people are fully completely different.
Maine for a few years has issued consumption advisories for freshwater fish taken from some waters due to the degrees of mercury they include.
These warnings goal pregnant and nursing girls, girls who might turn into pregnant, and youngsters underneath age 8. These teams shouldn’t eat any freshwater fish from Maine’s inland waters due to mercury, in response to the state.
The exception is one meal per 30 days of brook trout and landlocked salmon.
The warning additional suggests all different adults and youngsters older than 8 can eat two freshwater fish meals per 30 days, or one meal per week of brook trout and landlocked salmon.
In regard to PFAS, anglers ought to take particular be aware of the waters the place the issue has been recognized and the completely different fish species most affected. Steered consumption limits had been offered by the Maine CDC on Thursday in regard to a handful of particular waters.
They embrace: the Police Athletic League (PAL) Ponds in Fairfield; Fish Brook and tributaries from the headwaters to the confluence with Messalonskee Stream in Fairfield; Messalonskee Stream from the Rice Rips Dam in Oakland to the Automated Dam in Waterville; Durepo Pond and Limestone Stream from Durepo to the dam close to Route 229 in Limestone; the Mousam River from under the Quantity One Pond Dam to Outlet Dam on Estes Lake, together with all of Estes Lake, in Sanford; the Presumpscot River from Saccarappa Falls in Westbrook to Presumpscot Falls in Falmouth; and Unity Pond.
In any other case, the state has sampled floor waters all through the state. In these with no recognized sources of PFAS contamination, ranges are thought-about low and the fish fit for human consumption. That’s, at the side of pre-existing mercury pointers which might be being adopted.
Whereas we wait to be taught extra about endlessly chemical substances in Maine fish, there are some things we will do.
First, it’s prudent to comply with the CDC steering for waters the place PFAS ranges in fish are recognized to be elevated. And for those who plan to eat fish from different rivers, lakes, streams or ponds, test the state’s mercury consumption parameters.
Small quantities of many fish, within the majority of Maine waters, are nonetheless believed to be OK to eat. Simply restrict the dimensions and frequency of your meals.
I get pleasure from freshwater fish and I’m not going to cease consuming it altogether, nevertheless it appears prudent for all of us to pay attention to the potential well being dangers posed by each PFAS and mercury to assist hold ourselves wholesome.
