[Scalawag]

Couple years ago I read somewhere {Newsday maybe} that Long Islanders should limit thier intake of striped bass to only a few fish a yr.
Is that still the line of thinking on eating stripers?
I think it was the PCB's. { thanks GE }
Ive allready eaten 3 & am wondering if I should mellow out, and if theres still a recomendation on eating them,thanks

 

[615953]

I know on the North Shore that if you catch any striper or blue West of Wading River, actually the old nuclear power plants coolant canal jetties you should limit your intake to a 1/2# of meat per month. For women and children they should not even touch it.

I don't know about the South Shore, but I bet they would be similar, but possibly less.

 

[Scalawag]

its a shame

Good reason to practice catch and release

 

[617110]

People can eat more than they think! Don't let some Newsday author, or any other for that matter control your diet. They often mis-quote the facts or reference some scientists who have other motives (ie: their research dollars are funded by such an orginization that wants to here things like that).

What I am about to say is not intended to be perceived as bragging, but in my years of studying chemistry I have learned one thing...make assumptions! Nothing is for sure, and that includes every little shread of scientific evidence.

Anyway, I would rather eat a striped bass filet everyday than a McDonalds burger. Which one do you think would kill me faster? Ever now anybody who died at the age of 40 from PCB contamination? How about hardened arteries?

Case closed!

 

[615953]

Somoan

The FDA and DEC both released what you should limit your fish intake to.... Like today on channel 7, 6pm news, they had a story on bad blue claws..

People were actually crabbing in New Jersey, can't remember where, but it's the only CLOSED area in NJ because of all the petrol plants on the water. The problem was that eating 3 of the little critters was the equivalent to eating a pure PCB sandwich. Even though the area is closed, many people don't trust the FDA about PCB's. According to the local DEP, eating just 2 crabs a year from that area can raise your chance of getting cancer 40%....

I just went to the Eyewitness news website and the link goes to some stupid terrorism warning.... I hope the fix it so I can post the story.

 

[Scalawag]

JMC91881

I saw that story on PBS yesterday, the NJ news.
Bayonne it was and not just the blueclaws but the stripers, and all other seafood from that area.
They used the term dioxens and its really bad there because there was a whole bunch of factorys that have been accused of polluting { not GE this time}.
Thats another reason why I like to eat a bluefish once in a while and not too much striper is the 2 lb. blue hasnt spent any time up the Hudson or in Bayonne
Also fish like fluke arent exposed to these chemicals from that area
{ dont think so anyways }
I bet the Stripers are in pretty good shape in our area allthough I wouldnt eat them 3 times a week.

 

[Gamakatsu]

I am with Somoan on this. A fast food hamburger is far more dangerous to your health than eating a striped bass, even from the Hudson. It is a fact that red meat increases your risk of colon cancer. It is also a fact that saturated fat increases your chances of heart attack, stroke, obesity, diabetes and God knows what else. Anybody have any good striper recipes?

Gamakatsu

 

[Tiderunner]

Limit your intake

I have been a healthcare professional for over 20 years. It is my feeling based on the research that has beeen done. That we should limit our intake of local saltwater fish as determined by the NY State Guidelines.

Below are the New York State Guidlines for eating fish. Eating too much fish may NOT be the best idea! Eat Healthy, But Eat Smart!

Tag & Release
Tiderunner

Marine
Marine Waters - The general advisory (eat no more than one meal per week) applies to bluefish and American eel, but not to most other fish from Long Island Sound, Peconic/Gardiners Bays, Block Island Sound, the Lower Bay of New York Harbor, Jamaica Bay, and other Long Island south shore waters.

Marine Striped Bass - Eat no more than one meal (1/2 pound) per month of striped bass taken from New York Harbor and Long Island Sound west of Wading River. Eat no more than one meal (1/2 pound) per week of striped bass taken from Eastern Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Jamaica Bay, Peconic/Gardiners Bays, and Long Island South Shore waters. The legal minimum length of marine striped bass is 28".
Marine Crab and Lobsters - The hepatopancreas (liver, mustard, or tomalley) of crabs and lobsters should not be eaten because it has high contaminant levels.

Deformed or Abnormal Fish
The health implications of eating these fish are unknown. Any grossly diseased fish should probably be discarded.

Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife
Long-lasting contaminants, such as PCBs, DDT, and mercury, build up in your body over time. It may take months or years of regularly eating contaminated fish to build up amounts which are a health concern. Health problems which may result from the contaminants found in fish range from small changes in health that are hard to detect to birth defects and cancer. Mothers who eat highly contaminated fish and wildlife for many years before becoming pregnant may have children who are slower to develop and learn. The meal advice in this advisory aims to protect children from these potential developmental problems. Adults are less likely to have health problems at the low levels that affect children.
Some contaminants cause cancer in animals. Your risk of cancer from eating contaminated fish and wildlife cannot be predicted with certainty. Cancer currently affects about one in every three people, primarily due to smoking, diet, and hereditary risk factors. Exposure to contaminants in the fish and wildlife you eat may not increase your cancer risk at all. If you follow this advisory over your lifetime, you will minimize your exposure and reduce whatever cancer risk is associated with these contaminants.

The Federal Government establishes standards for chemical residues in food. When establishing these standards for fish, the Federal Government assumes that people eat about one-half pound of fish each month. The contaminant levels are measured in a skin-on fillet which has not been trimmed; this sample is used in determining whether or not the fish exceeds standards. Fish and wildlife cannot be legally sold if they contain a contaminant at a level greater than its standard. When sportfish from a waterbody contain contaminants at levels greater than the federal standard, the DOH issues a specific advisory.

 

[614851]

moderation in all you eat is the key.

scalawag - bluefish have been shown to be contaminated with insecticides such as chlordane.

jmc - blue claw story was about newark bay, nj and contamination with dioxin.

somoan and gamakatsu - i agree that a properly cleaned and prepared striper fillet is healthier for a man than a hamburger, but that may not be the case for children or pregnant women.

tiderunner - lot's of good info there, but other factors should be taken into account to determine the appropriate amount for any particular individual to consume.
for eg.
1) age and sex of person
2) health history and current health of person
3) species of fish
4) past and present location of fish
5) size of fish
6) cleaning, preparation and cooking of fish.
7) amount and frequency of consumption

 

[Scalawag]

thanks for the great replys and Moderation is the key

Its an important thread I feel because it jogs the memory of these facts and also as I mentioned above makes a good case for more catch and release.
Nothing was mentioned of fluke but because of thier fast growth rate and they live much if not all thier life out in the ocean @ the Canyons I bet its the safest of all with no limitations suggested by the gov.
Only problem is thier hard to catch these days, Alan

 

[LkyLindy]

scalawag-

Actually fluke are not hard to catch(winter flounder are).Try the north shore for all the fluke you can eat

 

[Scalawag]

lkylindy, so I hear but my boats in a slip here in JI S.Shore

Fluking hasnt been too good as of late but should improve.

 

[617110]

This was a great discussion, what makes it even better is that it was completely civilized.

Good luck to everyone, and just do what feels right!

 

[614512]

size...

You're best off eating the smallest legal size fish. They have had less time to accumulate toxins in their fat deposits. Most of the toxins talked about stay with the fish forever - they keep accumulating. If a fish is eating like crazy, and is very active like during migration, it will retain the extra toxins even though it may not be going through a growth spurt. So the toxins are probably more concentrated in the bigger fish pound for pound. The bigger fish probably also produce more offspring. (just a theory).

 

[chumface]

It really sounds like many of you guys have strong background knowledge of PCB's and their negative effects on stripers. Maybe someone can help me out. I am about to begin my post grad thesis at Stony Brook and have received the thumbs up to do it on the decline/recovery of the striped bass. If anyone knows of a good book, article, program...anything...that has strong, accurate information related to the topic, I would really appreciate some information. I find that fellow fisherman are always the best resource for this type of information.
Thanks,
Pete ([email protected])

 

[Tiderunner]

Striped Bass Cooperative Anglers

I do some volunteer striped bass scale work for the New York State D.E.C.and Tagging for the ALS. Ask for their latest " New York State Striped Bass Cooperative Anglers Annual Report for 2001" The address is Striped Bass Cooperative Anglers, NYSDEC
205 N Belle Meade Road STE1 East Setauket, NY 11733-3400

Also you can contact the American Littoral Society, Fish Tagging Program at ALS, Sandy Hook, Highlands, New Jersey 07732 c/o Pam Carlsen

Good Luck
Tag & Release
Tideruner

 

[614851]

reference works

chumface,

if you haven't already, get a copy of nick karas' monumental book. i haven't read it in many years, but the title is either "striper" or "striped bass".
the bibliography alone, would get you off to a great start.

it's kinda ironic, but many would say that pcb's were the best thing that mankind has ever done for the stripers.
(of course, stocking them in other waters around and across the country/world was very nice also.)

good luck with your thesis, and please keep us posted.

 

[620522]

Ohh Pleassse

I have been fishing the gut and peconics for 20 years and eating the stripers, fluke, blues, lobs, clams, mussels and whatever else scurried my way. There's nothing like a Plum Island Striper-genetically modified for better eating!

 

[617335]

Tideruner is absolutely correct!

In the future when the PCB's are reduced by GE's dredging the major concern will be mercury as it is now for tuna and swordfish.

The acid rain has been washing the organic mercury into tidal estuaries (Hudson River, Chesapeake, Delaware and others) for some time now. This poison finds its way into the food chain of all the fish and marine life in these areas as well as in the ocean.

Do not take the warnings lightly especially if you are young, or a woman, even if you are not pregnant or lactating.

 

[seaslug44]

Here's my two cents...

I agree, eat the smallest legal-sized stripers. They haven't had all those years to accumulate as much toxins as the older fish. Blues grow much faster; a ****tail blue of about 18 inches is only two years old and is sexually mature.

Bleed fish as soon as they are caught and when you get home CUT AWAY THE STRIP OF DARK MEAT on both blues and stripers and prepare the fish as a BONELESS, SKINLESS, fillet. The dark meat, skin, bones and liver are where 90% of the toxins are stored.

On any fish, or animal for that matter, the working muscles can grow or shrink throughout each season and throughout the creature's life based upon food supply, health and activity level. But the bones, skin and fatty tissues tend not to change. These are the places where the toxins will be concentrated most.