Mercury in fish question

[drs1961]

Our DNR and DHEC have updated their fish consumption advisory now listing certain bodies of water [most of our coastal plain rivers!] as "Do not eat any" of the catfish because of mercury contamination. Other areas have "One serving a week" or "One serving a month" advisories. Obviously the mercury levels in those areasare low enough that it dissipates out of our bodies for continued consumption. My question for anyone much more learned on the subject thanI is if fish from those "do not eat areas" were caught, tagged,and released alive into other bodies of water not contaminated [private ponds], would the mercury levels in their bodieslikewise diminish over a period of time so that they would be safe for consumption?

[Chuck7]

I don't know my friend..

[thundermug]

No. Once mercury has entered the flesh it never does get out. It is sort of "stuck". If I remember correctly, the mercury actually is stuck in the liver of the fish which is where the fat is also stored. However, as the blood circulates it carries some with it.

One thing to be aware of is putting a contaminated fish into an area not contaminated can actually spread mercury contamitnation to other fish. The spread would happen as the original contaminated fish were to die and it's body get consumed by microbes and the food chain starts all over again. The contamination per fish would not be as bad as for the original fish.

As for finding a body of water that is mercurcy free? I think someone will find a snowball in hell first.

[indianahunter83]

Even the canned tunafish you buy in the sotre has levels of mercury in it. Levels high enough that they suggest pregnant women should not eat it!

[drs1961]

Thanks for the info thundermug. That's what I was wondering. So much for that plan. Iwas just reading an article from our local power co-op discussing the mercury contamination and they stated that "We know of only four mercury poisoning events ever recorded worldwide. And they are all linked to unusual occurrences of extended, direct exposure or consumption. None were in the United States." So is DHEC's warning overkill or maybe too encompassing of everyone. They seem to emphasizethe harmful effects on pregnant women's embryonic developmentand children still growing. Brain development I believe is their big one. But what about us olderadults that have been exposed our entire life to everything that they saywill killus and our tired brains aren't half working anyhow much less still developing. Will eating the mercury tainted fish make ussenile quicker? Maybe a new excuse-I mean reason-for becoming more forgetful.

[Champlain Islander]

You don't get rid of it or have it go away. What enters your system stays there. I would pay attention to the advisories.