ALBANY – The New York State Department of Health issued updated advice for eating fish caught in waterbodies statewide on Wednesday. The advice offers important health information for New Yorkers who fish for food.
Declining levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some lower Hudson River fish mean that, for the first time in 50 years, anglers and their families can eat some of the fish they catch.
New, more restrictive advice was also issued for other waters across New York due to the levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) detected in some fish.
“New York State is a beautiful place to fish, and as we kick off the fishing season, the Department of Health wants to make sure people have the latest advice on safely eating the fish they catch,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. ”It’s a great day when the Department can relax guidance for certain fish in the lower Hudson River, allowing people who may become pregnant and children to eat fish from one of the most important fisheries in New York State. We encourage everyone to visit us online to get the latest advice for waters across the state.”
For the first time in 50 years, everyone in the family can now eat some fish from the Lower Hudson River (Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill to the NYC Battery), including striped bass. The Department’s analysis of PCB levels in several fish species enabled the state to relax advisories based on highly protective PCB guidelines issued in 2020.
The Sensitive Population (people who can become pregnant and children under 15) can now enjoy up to one 8-ounce meal a month of striped bass among some others from this portion of the river. The general population can now eat up to four meals a month.
The Department recommends that everyone not eat Carp and Smallmouth bass from the Lower Hudson due to PCBs. See changes for several other species
The contaminant levels in Mid-Hudson fish (Federal Dam at Troy to Rip Van Winkle Bridge at Catskill) did not warrant advisory changes at this time. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) catch-and-release regulation, “take no fish, eat no fish” still applies between Hudson Falls and the Federal Dam in Troy.
Because PCBs stay in the fat of fish, the Department encourages everyone to cut the skin and fat off of fish and cook it so that the fat drips off. This reduces the amount of PCBs in a fish meal by roughly half. People who eat Hudson River crabs can reduce the PCBs by removing the tomalley (mustard, hepatopancreas) and discarding the cooking liquid, which contains most of the PCBs.
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “New York’s waterways are world-renowned for abundant fishing opportunities. It remains critical to advise of any potential health risks from contaminants that may build up in fish tissue in certain bodies of water so that anglers can make well-informed choices about consuming their catch. DEC prioritizes cleaning up contaminants and restoring water quality to support fish consumption and will continue to work with our partners at the Department of Health to track and address harmful contaminants and use the latest science and data to help protect public health and our shared environmental resources.”
Visit the state website for Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch, .
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