PCB contaminated sturgeon?

Propwash · 02-25-2002, 05:38 PM

Does anyone have any thing on pcb's in sturgeon caught below Bonneville lately? Heard something about a spill at the dam that there was a leak from some transformers or something. Not sure that I got all the right info. Any input would be helpful. Are the fish edible or what is the latestskinny on this? Thanks

invader · 02-25-2002, 06:43 PM

not positive, but i think they said only the fish above the dam had the pcb!..john

SureSet · 02-25-2002, 06:54 PM

As I heard it, the gators in the Bonneville pool had a relatively high concentration, while the ones below, had a much lower, but still notable level. They believe the fish get it from eating crayfish and clams from the polluted water. The only health warnings I heard of were going up for commercial crayfishers to not take crayfish from the area below the dam as those levels were very high. As for the sturgeon, the health dept was not posting any warnings, but recommending that you only eat the fish once a week and do not eat skin, fat or internal organs (no making soup out of the carcass), as that is where the PCB are stored. Pure fillets are the way to go.

As for whether or not this will impact my eating them? I will still eat them, but I never ate them more than once a week anyway. I guess if my wife was going to have any more children, I'd limit her intake!

SureSet

STGRule · 02-25-2002, 07:36 PM

Sturgeon Fillet Info Here is some number information. Two of the tables have sturgeon fillet information. This is more realistic than whole-fish assays. I just did a search on Google for sturgeon contaminants to find this. I know that some information is/will be coming out soon about reproduction abnormalities in sturgeon due to contaminants. When I find it on-line I�ll post it.

jayman · 02-25-2002, 07:44 PM

hi there...i'm new here but i have an answer for your question. they used to dump a bunch of transformers and other garbage right up above the bonneville dam (back in the old days). they are just now starting to clean it up. PCB's were used to help cool the oil in the transformers before they figured out it was bad for our health.it was in the oregonian last monday. they say that the sturgeon in the Bonneville Pool have high levels of PCB's. The freshwater clams and other mud foods that the sturgeon eat have been contaminated somewhat. the food chain links it to the sturgeon and then to us. If you don't eat their livers :depressed: and trim the fat

you should have no worries. i tuned in to this story because the friday before my buddy and i went fishing and got a 44" and a 48" just west of Hood River. we took the kids (no school that day) and had a blast. we smoked them up Sunday (the fish, not the kids) and the article came out Monday. It caught my attention. I'm pretty sure that the PCB's enhances the flavor and doesn't overwhelm it.
Jayman

David Johnson · 02-25-2002, 07:54 PM

......and the sturgeon shouldn't have too many worms now either......

AngleThis · 02-26-2002, 03:50 PM

Thanks for the info, Layman. I've been hearing a lot about the PCB in gator meat and with a very healthy stockpile of smoked filets in the freezer, I am concerned. To he** with the contaminants, its all that work and money that went into them that would have to be discarded!! :smile:

Does anyone know of any labs or govermental agencies that might be interested in testing some filets taken from the Kelly Point area? Maybe a contact with the press might expidite this?