Maine fishing & pollution/mercury in fish? (Searsport: how much, homes)

[movintime]

Anyone know what fish/lobster, etc. in Maine (I'm sure ALL Atlantic Salmon is polluted vs cleaner Pacific Salmon -- which in Maine I'd need to buy canned & not fresh, yes?) is ok to eat? Unfortunately, I can't think of much seafood not polluted or having high mercury that is plentiful in the New England/Maine area.

Thanks if anyone has any thoughts on these.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by movintime

Anyone know what fish/lobster, etc. in Maine (I'm sure ALL Atlantic Salmon is polluted vs cleaner Pacific Salmon -- which in Maine I'd need to buy canned & not fresh, yes?) is ok to eat? Unfortunately, I can't think of much seafood not polluted or having high mercury that is plentiful in the New England/Maine area.

Thanks if anyone has any thoughts on these.

I can't think of any seafood that is polluted. Swordfish, at one time had high levels of mercury, but I'm not sure of it's status now.

Some of the fresh water fish have warnings about how much you should eat, but there are no don't eat warnings that I know of.

[arctichomesteader]

No open season for Atlantic salmon. Unless you're talking landlocked salmon.

There are areas with restrictions on shellfish harvest because of pollution. I'd be careful of any other fish there too. I believe some areas near Searsport is one example.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

No open season for Atlantic salmon. Unless you're talking landlocked salmon.

There are areas with restrictions on shellfish harvest because of pollution. I'd be careful of any other fish there too. I believe some areas near Searsport is one example.

Any shellfish you buy in astore is safe to eat. The places closed are for the actual fishermen. I have not seen any warnings that the fish from the Searsport area are unfit to eat.

[Maineac]

The lifespan of the fish and its age dictate mercury content, inasmuch as the mercury is generally atmospheric from rain. Atlantic Salmon are only slightly higher in mercury (rated "low" vs. "very low") compared to Pacific and Alaskan salmon. Not enough difference to worry about. Farmed salmon tends to have other issues, and is grown fast enough such that mercury levels probably aren't an issue. This is why giant bluefin tuna are so high - they're big, top predators that consume a lot of smaller fish and the mercury builds up over time. A lot of background and atmospheric mercury in freshwater fishes has become an issue, some for direct pollution. Curiously, a fisheries biologist who I went through college with 125 years ago told me that white perch of the same size as a black crappie have a particularly high level of mercury compared to the crappie. The perch live longer and, as such, the mercury accumulates over time. You can thank our industrial neighbors upwind for that little problem. Swords have fairly high mercury content, again depending on age of the fish. ALL atlantic salmon is not "polluted" vs. "cleaner" pacific salmon. Where'd you get that malarkey? I prefer fresh caught kings, but fresh caught atlantics are almost as good. I don't eat farmed salmon unless it's organic simply because everyone's gotta make a buck and the industrial salmon farms have no problem loading their fish up with hormones and antibiotics to make a little more off you. Do you think there's something magical about west coast pollution and that it doesn't affect pacific fish?

[Kracer]

Saltwater Fish and Lobster Safe Eating Guidelines - Environmental and Occupational Health - Maine CDC - DHHS Maine

see the fresh water version also..... every state reads almost the same whether Maine or NJ.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by AustinB

Any shellfish you buy in astore is safe to eat. The places closed are for the actual fishermen. I have not seen any warnings that the fish from the Searsport area are unfit to eat.

Hmm, I might of read a bit too much into the OP that maybe they were interested in fishing.

Baywatchers challenge Searsport company to curb pollution legacy | PenBay Pilot

There's enough non-polluted areas I wouldn't mess with the areas with known pollution issues for fishing. In any case, it isn't species specific, it's area specific.

[movintime]

W/ respect to Atl. salmon vs Pac. salmon, I guess all farmed Atl. is bad & wild-caught (but not sure if the fresh Atl. Salmon here in AZ) is from open/wild vs. closed waters? I somehow got into my head that the lower prices on Atl. fresh seafood here is that way due to lower, perhaps unsafe, health concerns. Now I'm lost.

Also read that if it is Atl. then it is ALL farmed. Canada has nothing but farmed Atl. in almost all restaurants, etc. I don't know how accurate this info is, but google this & many sites do agree.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by movintime

W/ respect to Atl. salmon vs Pac. salmon, I guess all farmed Atl. is bad & wild-caught (but not sure if the fresh Atl. Salmon here in AZ) is from open/wild vs. closed waters? I somehow got into my head that the lower prices on Atl. fresh seafood here is that way due to lower, perhaps unsafe, health concerns. Now I'm lost.

Also read that if it is Atl. then it is ALL farmed. Canada has nothing but farmed Atl. in almost all restaurants, etc. I don't know how accurate this info is, but google this & many sites do agree.

it can be unsafe going out your front door,


some folks wont eat tilapia, some folks wont eat any farm raised fish, some folks wont eat dandelion greens..

to each their own...

i
when i was on a strict diet a few yrs ago- i ate 2-4 cans of tuna fish a day

some info online says you shouldnt eat more than 1 can of tuna a week,, and most others say 2-4 cans is ok..

i like fish once in a while,,
and mercury isnt even a thought


just about any or all type of food can kill you if you look deep enough

[Colebrook]

Dandelion greens, dandelion greens, I can't wait to get a big tub of them clean them up a cook them with a big slab of salt pork. Thanks mainebrokerman for getting the taste buds all worked up.