Don't Eat the Fish?
Fish found in the Great Lakes remain so heavily contaminated by industrial chemicals such as dioxins, PCBs, and methyl mercury that they may be unfit for human consumption.
A report by Environmental Defence, Canada says that while there have been reductions in contaminants in parts of the Great Lakes, severe problems remain, particularly for fish caught in Lake Ontario, where there has been a marked rise in the number of advisories recommending reduced fish consumption. Contamination levels are also high in Lake Huron, Lake Erie and even Lake Superior, the least polluted of the Great Lakes showed some level of contamination. The fish species reviewed included coho salmon, rainbow trout, walleye, pike, and lake trout.
About five million kilograms of industrial pollutants are being released directly into the lakes. Although fish are a food source high in protein and many health experts recommend regular consumption of them, the report did not want to discourage people from eating fish but wanted to highlight the need for continuing action to reduce discharges of harmful chemicals into the water.
July 6, 2007 7:05 AM | Category: Fish, Great Lakes