Wish for fish?

I apologize for taking so long to post. This spring has been a hectic one, but good news is on the horizon. I'm sure of it. I'm working on some pieces for the new green guide that's coming out around the end of June. Be on the lookout for the Green Guide insert in the Concord Monitor, as well as it being available at various Concord locations- like Real Green Goods and the Audubon Center.

So, while at work I got this press release in the bulk mail box:


News from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: June 3, 2009

CONTACT: Tom Niejadlik, DES, Environmental Health Program 603-271-6865

Doug Grout, NH Fish and Game Department, Marine Division 603-868-1095



DES and NH Fish and Game Issue Advisory on

Striped Bass and Bluefish Consumption

New Hampshire is One of Seven East Coast States Issuing Limits



Concord - The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, in coordination with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and six other east coast states, has issued a fish consumption advisory for large bluefish and striped bass caught in New Hampshire coastal and estuarine waters.



According to state health officials, large bluefish and striped bass (larger than 25 inches) contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at levels of potential concern to the general public. This concern is especially true for pregnant women and young children. PCBs can affect the endocrine system and brain development, and have been shown to cause cancer in animal studies.



State health officials advised that striped bass and large bluefish caught in New Hampshire coastal and estuarine waters should not be eaten by pregnant women, women of childbearing age, nursing mothers and children under the age of six. The remainder of the general population should eat no more than one meal of such fish per month.



“Fortunately there are many other marine and freshwater species that consumers can eat more frequently and that have health benefits,” stated DES Commissioner Tom Burack. In New Hampshire, commonly eaten fish that are low in PCBs and other contaminants include winter flounder, Atlantic cod, haddock, and fluke.



DES’ advisory stems from a multi-state report finalized in 2008, which documented the PCB content of striped bass and bluefish from Maine to Georgia. The report also shows that these fish are not particularly good sources of beneficial fish oils. Compared to other fish, striped bass and bluefish have lower amounts of omega-3 fatty acids relative to the amount of PCBs they contain. For a copy of the report see http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/eohp/fish/PCBSTBhome.htm



Similar advice is being issued by six other east coast states today including Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. These states are all instructing pregnant women and young children to not eat striped bass and large bluefish, and are advising the general public to moderate consumption of these fish. These states will continue to monitor PCB levels in coastal marine species and will modify the consumption advisory as needed in the future.



For more information contact Tom Niejadlik at (603) 271-6865 or visit www.des.nh.gov and look on the A-Z list for Fish Consumption Guidelines.



# # #

For those new to this blog, I've mentioned polychlorinated biphenyls in previous post. This PR, however, begs that I readdress the issue. PCBS are, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry:

Polychlorinated biphenyls are mixtures of up to 209 individual chlorinated compounds (known as congeners). There are no known natural sources of PCBs. PCBs are either oily liquids or solids that are colorless to light yellow. Some PCBs can exist as a vapor in air. PCBs have no known smell or taste. Many commercial PCB mixtures are known in the U.S. by the trade name Aroclor.

PCBs have been used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, and other electrical equipment because they don't burn easily and are good insulators. The manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the U.S. in 1977 because of evidence they build up in the environment and can cause harmful health effects. Products made before 1977 that may contain PCBs include old fluorescent lighting fixtures and electrical devices containing PCB capacitors, and old microscope and hydraulic oils.

Apparently, PCBs aren't made in the US anymore. So why are our fish (and bird populations, by the way) plagued by these chemicals.

We're a closed system, people. Whatever we manipulate/create/destroy sticks around. PCBs aren't going anywhere. I wish I knew what we could do to fix our problems with chemical contamination ... someday we may have answers. For now, just don't eat fish too often.

More soon.
Love,
Say