New York State Department of Health offers New Advice On Consumption of Fish Caught In Some NY Waters

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 20, 2019) - The New York State Department of Health today issued new advice about the consumption of certain fish caught in specific waters, due to elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury.

"Eating fish can be part of a healthy diet. However, some fish contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. Our advice is intended to help people make informed choices about eating the fish they catch, while reducing the potential for exposure," said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker.

The Department issues advice about eating sportfish (fish you catch) because some fish contain chemicals at levels that that could adversely affect health. Although the advisories are not regulations, they do help people choose which fish to limit oravoid and learn how to reduce their exposure to contaminants in the fish they eat. The health advice is based on information from fish collected by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Women in their childbearing years who eat highly contaminated fish and become pregnant may be at an increased risk of having children who are slower to develop and learn. Some chemicals may be passed on in mother's milk. Chemicals may also have a negative effect on the development of young children.

After reviewing the data, the Department can make an advisory less restrictive or can issue new or additional advice (that would be more restrictive). Based on the most recent data collected, the Department is issuing this advice for 2019:

Less Restrictive Advice
Waterbody (County)	Fish	Men over 15 & Women over 50	Women under 50 & Children under 15	Chemical
Schoharie Reservoir (Delaware, Greene, Schoharie)	Smallmouth bass <15"	Up to 4 meals/month	Don't eat	Mercury
See http://www.health.ny.gov/fish/CAT for full Schoharie Reservoir advisory.

More Restrictive Advice
Waterbody (County)	Fish	Men over 15 & Women over 50	Women under 50 & Children under 15	Chemical
Hoosic River (Rensselaer & Washington)	Carp	Up to 1 meal/month	Don't eat	PCBs
See http://www.health.ny.gov/fish/HV for full Hoosic River advisory.
Mohawk River/Erie Canal, between Lock E21 at New London and Lock E20 at Whitesboro (Oneida)	Carp	Up to 1 meal/month	Don't Eat	PCBs
	All other fish	Up to 4 meals/month	Don't Eat	PCBs
Seehttp://www.health.ny.gov/fish/LE for full Mohawk River/Erie Canal advisory.
Owasco Lake (Cayuga)	Smallmouth bass Walleye	Up to 1 meal/ month	Don't eat	Mercury Mercury
	Rainbow smelt Rainbow trout < 20" Yellow perch < 10"	Up to 4 meals/ month	Up to 4 meals/ month	Mercury Mercury Mercury
	Rainbow trout > 20" Yellow perch >10" All other fish	Up to 4 meals/ month	Up to 1 meal/ month	Mercury Mercury Mercury
See http://www.health.ny.gov/fish/FL for other advisories in the Finger Lakes Region.
St. Lawrence River, from South Channel Bridge (including Turtle Creek Cove) downstream to north end of Raquette Point (Navigation Light Number 11) (St. Lawrence & Franklin)	All fish	Don't eat	Don't eat	PCBs
See http://www.health.ny.gov/fish/SL for full St. Lawrence River advisory.

Boundaries for advisory areas in the Mohawk and St. Lawrence Rivers have been updated and extended based on new data.Visit the Leatherstocking/Central and St. Lawrence Valley Regions at www.health.ny.gov/fish for the updates.

Women beyond their childbearing years and men may face fewer health risks from some chemicals. For that reason, women over age 50 and men over age 15 are given more leeway to eat more kinds of sportfish and more often.

Advisory information is available at www.health.ny.gov/fish

Consumers can also order publications about fish consumption online, free of charge.