Fish consumption advisory issued for the Ohio River by the Cabinet for Health Services
Cabinet for Health Services
STATEWIDE NEWS RELEASE
STATE AGENCIES REISSUE OHIO RIVER FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORIES
Frankfort, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2005) The Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Water and Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources today reissued fish consumption advisories for the Ohio River bordering Kentucky. These advisories remain unchanged from last year’s advisory for the listed fish species in the Ohio River.
In 1998 the advisories were changed from an “eat” or “don’t eat” style to one which provides information on the risk, focusing on the amount of fish that can safely be eaten.
These advisories are based on the agencies’ review of fish tissue information provided mainly by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO). Data used are from 1995-2004 for all listed species except paddlefish, which were sampled in 1991, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004. Fish were collected from diverse areas of the river, including lock chambers. Each type of fish was tested for organic chemical contaminants such as PCBs, chlordane and in limited areas, dioxin and heavy metals (mercury, cadmium and lead).
“Even though PCBs and mercury remain the main contaminants of concern from a public health perspective, it’s good to know that the levels of some contaminants have decreased to the point that many kinds of fish are now safer to eat at the advised frequency,” said William D. Hacker, M.D., commissioner of public health. “For example, chlordane levels have decreased over the years and has been removed as a contaminant of concern.”
“Fish are fun to catch, and are a wonderful food,” said Benjy Kinman, director of fisheries with fish and wildlife. “It’s low in fat, full of protein and in moderation, good for us. Our role is to inform our citizens the recommended amounts of certain fish they should consume so everyone can make informed decisions.”
The agencies have developed a protocol based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Great Lakes Protocol risk-based guidelines for contaminants. States bordering Kentucky and the Ohio River also are now using these risk-based protocols.
“This science established and risk-based system provides more thorough information and enables our citizens to make a more informed choice regarding the consumption of Kentucky fish”, said Guy Delius, assistant director of the public health protection and safety division. “This system provides a mechanism which better protects our unborn and infant children, by providing targeted information to special populations, such as pregnant women and nursing mothers."
This risk-based protocol provides information for two populations. One is for the general population. The other is for a special population, which includes pregnant women, nursing mothers and their infants, and children. Women who may be or plan to become pregnant should also consider the special population advice.
People who frequently eat fish, women of childbearing age and children are particularly susceptible to contaminants that build up in the body (such as PCBs and mercury). For this reason these individuals should follow the special population advisory.
Women beyond their childbearing years and men face fewer health risks from contaminants. However, those persons should follow the general population advisory to reduce their total exposure and be especially careful to space out meals over time. Spacing out meals helps prevent contaminants from building up to harmful levels in the body.
If most of the meals you eat are from the “one meal per week” category, you should not exceed 52 meals per year. Likewise, if most of the fish you eat are from the “one meal per month” category, you should not exceed 12 meals per year. Eating one meal of fish from the “one meal per month” category is equivalent to eating four fish meals from the “one meal per week” group.
Following are consumption precautions for various tested species in three areas (Upper, Middle and Lower) of the Ohio River bordering Kentucky. If a species is not listed, no data are available.
UPPER REACH (Mouth of Big Sandy to Markland Dam)
| Paddlefish (and eggs) |
6 meals / year |
No consumption |
| Carp |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Channel catfish (Greater than (>) 21”) |
6 meals / year |
No consumption |
| Channel catfish (Less than (<) 21”) |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Smallmouth buffalo |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| White bass |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Drum |
1 meal / month |
6 meals/ year |
| White crappie |
Unlimited |
1 meal / week |
| Hybrid striped bass |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Sauger |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| Flathead catfish |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| Black basses (largemouth, etc.) |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
MIDDLE REACH (Markland Dam to Cannelton Dam)
| Paddlefish (and eggs) |
6 meals / year |
No consumption |
| Channel catfish >21” |
6 meals / year |
No consumption |
| Channel catfish <21” |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Carp |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Hybrid striped bass |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| White bass |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Drum |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Sauger |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| Black basses |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| Flathead catfish |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
LOWER REACH (Cannelton Dam to Mississippi River)
| Paddlefish (and eggs) |
6 meals / year |
No consumption |
| Channel catfish |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Carp |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Blue catfish >14” |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Blue catfish <14” |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| Drum |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Hybrid striped bass |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Sauger |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| White bass |
1 meal / month |
6 meals / year |
| Black basses (largemouth, spotted) |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
| White crappie |
Unlimited |
1 meal / week |
| Bigmouth buffalo |
1 meal / week |
1 meal / month |
In April 2000, a statewide mercury advisory was issued for all freshwater fish from Kentucky waters, including the Ohio River. Women of childbearing age and children 6 years and younger should eat no more than one meal per week of any freshwater fish.
Proper cleaning, skinning, trimming and cooking can reduce contaminant levels in the fish. Eat only skinless, boneless fillets with as much fat as possible removed. Do not eat the skin, which can contain higher levels of fat. Eggs should be discarded. Roasting, baking or broiling has been found to reduce the levels of PCBs and chlordane more than other cooking methods. Cooking does not destroy the contaminants, nor does it lower their toxicity. The heat melts some of the fat in the fish, removing some of the contaminants at the same time. Do not eat or reuse the fat and juices that cook out of the fish. Cooking will not reduce mercury levels possibly found in fish, since the metal is bound to the flesh rather than the fat.
This advisory is intended to inform the public about the possible risks of eating unrestricted amounts of some fish from the Ohio River. The monitoring of tissue residue levels in fish from the Ohio River is an ongoing program of the state agencies in cooperation with ORSANCO.
-30-
Contacts:
Eric Eisiminger, Division of Water, (502) 564-3410
Benjy Kinman, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (502) 564-3596
Guy F. Delius, Department for Public Health (502) 564-7181
