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Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch

Including Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Ulster, Washington, and Westchester Counties Why We Have Advice Chemicals in the Region Fishing is fun and fish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish contain high quality The primary chemicals of concern in the Hudson Valley Region are PCBs and . protein, essential nutrients, healthy fish oils, and are low in saturated fat. However, A few waterbodies have chlordane, dieldrin, dioxin, and PFAS. some fish contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. To help people make healthier choices about which fish they eat, the State Department of Health • PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), chlordane, and dieldrin are man-made issues advice about eating sportfish (fish you catch). The health advice about which fish chemicals that were banned in the 1970s and 1980s. Dioxins are byproducts to eat depends on: released by a number of activities, including burning of trash, wood fires, and manufacturing. PCBs, chlordane, dieldrin, and dioxin remain in the Where You Fish environment and accumulate in the fat of fish and other animals. The advice on eating fish from the Hudson Valley Region depends • Mercury occurs naturally, but it is also released into our environment from upon where you fish. The region has great fishing and many waters sources like coal combustion. Testing of fish in the Adirondack and Catskill where everyone in the family can eat up to four fish meals a month. Regions and in some NYS has shown certain species of fish have However, some waters and their have been affected higher levels of mercury than in other parts of the state. by industrial chemicals or pesticides, and some by mercury. Our • Cadmium also occurs naturally and is used in many industrial processes as advice is to limit fish meals or avoid eating fish from these waters with well. Cadmium and dioxin are found in blue crab tomalley (“green stuff,” specific advice. mustard, liver, or hepatopancreas) in the Hudson . Because the Hudson Valley and its waters are very diverse, this booklet includes four • PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, previously referred to as PFCs) regions: the Greater Capital Region, Mid Hudson Region, Catskill Region, and Lower are man-made chemicals that are used for fire-fighting foams, non-stick Hudson Region. See page 5 for a map of the regions. If you’re planning a fish meal, materials manufacturing, and many other applications. They are persistent please read the section Where can the whole family eat the fish? in each region. in the environment and can accumulate in living things including fish. Who You Are Health Risks Women of childbearing age (under 50) and children under 15 are Fish can have chemical levels thousands of times more than the surrounding water. advised to limit the kinds of fish they eat and how often they These chemicals build up in your body over time. Health problems that may result from eat them. Women who eat highly contaminated fish and become chemicals in fish range from small changes in health that are hard to detect to birth pregnant may have an increased risk of having children who are defects and cancer. (Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish for more info.) slower to develop and learn. Chemicals may have a greater effect on the development of young children or unborn babies. Also, some chemicals may be passed on in mother’s milk. Women beyond their childbearing years and men may face fewer health risks from some chemicals. For that reason, the advice for women over age 50 and men over age 15 allows them to eat more kinds of sportfish and more often (see advice tables for each region). What You Catch There is specific advice about limiting or not eating certain kinds of fish in some of this region’s waterbodies (see advice tables). Some fish have higher levels of chemicals than others. In general, smaller fish are less contaminated than larger, older fish of the same species. You can also choose to eat fish from waters not listed in the inside tables (many are listed under Where can the whole family eat the fish?) and follow the general advice to eat up to four meals per month.

1 2 Detailed Maps Available Online Tips for Healthier Eating New detailed maps are available that show the health advice for public access waters in • Try to space out your fish meals. For example, if the advice is that you can eat up many counties. These are the first maps in a statewide series that will become available to four meals a month, don’t eat them all in the same week. This is particularly over time: www.health.ny.gov/fish/maps.htm. important for women and young children. These maps use color coding to highlight waters with our general, regional (Catskill and • Bacteria, viruses, or parasites can be in or on fish. Keep harvested fish cold. Adirondack), and specific advisories and show how the advisories apply to tributaries. Wear gloves when skinning and trimming. Wash hands and surfaces often when These maps are a quick, visual guide that can help people make better choices about preparing fish, and keep raw foods separate. Cook fish and shellfish thoroughly where to fish for food locally. before eating. • Do not eat the tomalley (“green stuff,” mustard, liver, or hepatopancreas) found in the body section of crabs and lobsters, and discard cooking liquid. Tomalley can contain high levels of chemicals, including PCBs, dioxin, and cadmium.

Tips to Reduce PCBs, Chlordane, Dieldrin, and Dioxin • PCBs, chlordane, dieldrin, and dioxin are found at higher levels in the fat of fish. Reduce fat by properly trimming, skinning, and cooking your catch:

Rensselaer County map example showing advice extending upstream to first impassable barrier to fish. • Cooking or soaking fish cannot eliminate the chemicals, but heat from cooking melts some of the fat. Broil, grill, or bake the trimmed, skinned fish on a rack so What about tributaries and connected waters? that the fat drips away. Do not use drippings in sauces or gravies. The specific advice in the online county maps and the inside tables applies to • To reduce exposures to PCBs, chlordane, dieldrin, and dioxin, avoid or eat less tributaries and connected waters if there are no , falls, or barriers to stop the fish American eel, bluefish, carp, striped , white and channel catfish, and white from moving upstream or downstream. This is because chemicals remain in fish when perch because these fish tend to have higher levels of these contaminants. they move from one waterbody to another. If you are not sure about possible fish barriers near waters where you are fishing, call your DEC office listed on the back of this brochure. If you have questions about fish Tips to Avoid Mercury advisories for your favorite waterbody call the fish advisory team at (518) 402-7800. • The only way to reduce how much mercury you get from fish is to avoid certain Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish for the latest advice about eating your catch for all regions in the state. species or eat smaller fish within a species. • To reduce exposures to mercury, avoid or eat less largemouth and , northern pike, pickerel, , and larger yellow perch (for example, longer than 10 inches) because these fish tend to have higher mercury levels. • Mercury is distributed throughout a fish’s muscle tissue (the part you eat), rather than in the fat and skin. Trimming and skinning will not reduce the amount of mercury in a fish meal. 3 4 Hudson Valley Regions Greater Capital Region Advice

WASHINGTON Hudson Falls at Bakers Falls

SARATOGA GREATER Great WASHINGTON CAPITAL REGION SARATOGA Page 6 SCHENECTADY Hudson River RENSSELAER Thayers Pond Federal Dam at Troy RENSSELAER SCHENECTADY ALBANY Dunham Federal Dam at Troy

ALBANY County Route 18 Valatie COLUMBIA Nassau Lake GREENE Valatie Kill Kinderhook Lake CATSKILL Bridge at Catskill MID HUDSON (see page 10 for advice) REGION REGION Schenectady County Page 11 Page 9 Where can the whole family eat the fish? Collins Lake Listed below are some public access waters where the whole Featherstonhaugh Lake ULSTER family can eat up to four meals per month of fish they catch. Lake Lisha Kill DUTCHESS Albany County Rensselaer County Saratoga County Mariaville Lake Basic Creek Black River Pond , upstream Burden Lake Ballston Lake of Rt 32 Bridge (Waterford) Crooked Lake Dwaas Kill , upstream Crystal Lake Geyser Brook Steinmetz Lake of waterfall at I-87 Glass Lake Glowegee Creek (Six Long Pond Creek Washington County Mile Waterworks) , upstream Mohawk River, upstream , upstream PUTNAM Ten Mile Creek of Mt. Ida Falls of Rt 32 Bridge of Clark Mills Lower Dam ORANGE LOWER HUDSON Thompson’s Lake Shaver Pond (Waterford) Carters Pond Tivoli Lake Snyder’s Lake Moreau Lake Cossayuna Lake REGION Vly Creek Tackawasick Creek Round Lake Dead Lake , Page 13 Washington Park Lake Tomhannock Reservoir WESTCHESTER Tsatsawassa Lake upstream of waterfalls at Thomas Rd & Upper Tpke ROCKLAND Mario Cuomo Bridge Don’t forget that specific advice applies to tributaries and connected waters; see page 3. For example, (formerly ) advice for the Hudson River applies up to the first impassable barrier on all tributaries, including the Batten Kill, Mill Creek, Normans Kill, Poesten Kill, and . Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html.

5 NYC Battery 6 Greater Capital Region waters with specific advice: Greater Capital Region waters with specific advice, continued:

Chemical Chemical Locations & Locations & Fish Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & of Fish Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & of Tributaries Tributaries Women Over 50 Children Under 15 Concern Women Over 50 Children Under 15 Concern

All waters NOT listed Valatie Kill, (Greater Capital All fish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 4 meals/month between County All fish DON’T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs Region) Rt. 18 and Nassau Walleye DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Mercury Lake Smallmouth Dunham Reservoir Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT Mercury bass American eel, Valatie Kill, sunfish, Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury between Nassau Redbreast Largemouth Lake and sunfish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT Mercury Dyken Pond bass Kinderhook Lake All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs Smallmouth Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Mercury Great Sacandaga bass, Walleye Lake All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Greater than 14", up to 1 Brown meal/month; Less than DON'T EAT PCBs 14", up to 4 meals/month Hoosic River Carp Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT PCBs All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs

Hudson River, Catch and Release Catch and Release Hudson Falls Dam fishing ONLY per NYS DEC fishing ONLY per NYS All fish PCBs at Bakers Falls to regulations. Take No Fish. DEC regulations Take Federal Dam at Troy Eat No Fish. No Fish. Eat No Fish.

Alewife, Blueback herring, Rock Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs Hudson River, bass, Yellow Federal Dam at Troy perch to at Catskill All other fish (including DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs and Walleye) Nassau Lake All fish DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs Thayers Pond - All fish DON’T EAT 3 DON’T EAT 3 PFAS Hoosick Falls Area

3 Effective 7/24/17: Test results indicate that fish from these waters have elevated levels of PFAS (previously referred to as PFCs) compared to fish from other waters. Based on data currently available, DOH recommends that people who fish these waters return their catch. 7 8 Mid Hudson Region waters with specific advice: Mid Hudson Region Advice Nassau Lake (see advice on page 7) Valatie Kill Chemical Locations & Kinderhook Lake Fish Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & of Tributaries Women Over 50 Children Under 15 Concern GREENE All other waters NOT listed All fish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 4 meals/month COLUMBIA (Mid Hudson Region) Rip Van Winkle Bridge at Catskill Alewife, Blueback Hudson River, herring, Rock bass, Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs Federal Dam at Yellow perch ULSTER Troy to Rip Van Winkle Bridge All other fish at Catskill (including Striped DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs Hudson River bass and Walleye) Crab or lobster DUTCHESS tomalley PCBs, (hepatopancreas, DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Dioxin, mustard) and cooking Cadmium liquid Channel catfish, Gizzard shad, Walleye, DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs White catfish Hudson River, Rip Van Winkle Up to 4 meals/month PCBs, Blue crab meat DON'T EAT Bridge at (six crabs per meal) Cadmium Where can the whole family eat the fish? Catskill to NYC Atlantic needlefish, Listed below are some public access waters where the whole family can eat up to Battery Bluefish, Brown four meals per month of fish they catch. bullhead, Carp, Goldfish, Largemouth Columbia County Dutchess County Ulster County Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs , upstream of Crum Elbow Creek, upstream Louisa Pond bass, Rainbow smelt, Van De Carrs Dam of Lower Dam Smallmouth bass, Copake Lake , upstream of NY , Striped bass, White Kline Kill Rubber Company Dam upstream of perch Lake Taghkanic Iron Mine Pond Sturgeon Pool Ore Pit Pond Morgan Lake All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs , upstream of American eel Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs Roeliff Jansen Kill, upstream of Bingham Mill Dam (Columbia Co) Kinderhook Lake Bingham Mills Dam Shekomeko Creek All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs Weed Mines Pond Stissing Pond Valatie Kill, American eel, Bluegill Tenmile River between sunfish, Redbreast Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs Creek, upstream of Nassau Lake sunfish Wappinger Falls Dam and Kinderhook Webatuck Creek Lake All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs

Don’t forget that specific advice applies to tributaries and connected waters; see page 3. For example, advice Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: for the Hudson River applies up to the first impassable barrier on all tributaries, including Black Creek, Catskill www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. Creek, Claverack Creek, Crum Elbow Creek, , Fishkill Creek, , , Roeliff Jansen Kill, , , and . 9 10 Catskill Region Advice Catskill Region waters with specific advice:

Some fish in the Catskill Region have higher Chemical levels of mercury than in other parts of the state. Locations & Fish Men Over 15 & Women Women Under 50 & of GREENE There is additional advice to limit or not eat Tributaries certain kinds of fish for women under 50 and Over 50 Children Under 15 Concern North-South Lake children under 15 because some fish tend to Greater than 10”, DON’T EAT ; Less have higher levels of mercury. Yellow perch Up to 4 meals/month Mercury than 10” up to 4 Women beyond their childbearing years and meals/month men may face fewer health risks from mercury ULSTER , All other Catskill and can eat up to four meals a month of all fish Northern pike, Up to 4 meals/month DON’T EAT Mercury from Catskill waters (excluding the waterbodies Region waters Smallmouth bass, found in the table on page 12). NOT listed Walleye, Pickerel , Bullhead, Chodikee Lake , Rainbow Up to 4 meals Up to 4 meals/month Mercury trout, Rock bass, Sunfish, month All other fish Walleye Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT Mercury Greater than 16", up to 1 Ashokan Which fish can the whole family eat in the Catskill Region? Smallmouth bass meal/month; Less than DON'T EAT Mercury These fish are a great choice for the whole family, young and old alike because they have Reservoir 16", up to 4 meals/month lower levels of mercury. Choose among these fish for up to four fish meals per month All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury from waterbodies not listed in the table on page 12. Greater than 15", up to 1 Largemouth bass meal/month; Less than DON'T EAT Mercury Chodikee Lake 15", up to 4 meals/month All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Bluegill sunfish Brook trout Bullhead Brown trout Greater than 15", up to 1 Largemouth bass meal/month; Less than DON'T EAT Mercury North-South Lake 15", up to 4 meals/month Pumpkinseed sunfish Rock bass Yellow perch under All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury 10 inches Greater than 16", up to 1 These are some waters with public access where the whole family can eat the fish Rondout Smallmouth bass meal/month; Less than DON'T EAT Mercury shown above: 16", up to 4 meals/month Greene County Ulster County Reservoir Basic Creek Alder Lake All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Echo Lake Batavia Kill Greater than 18", DON'T Honk Lake Catskill Creek, upstream of Mill Pond Walleye EAT; Less than 18", up to 1 DON'T EAT Mercury Lower Esopus Creek, between Ashokan Dam Dam at Leeds meal/month Colgate Lake and Diamond Mills Paper Company Dam Onteora Lake Schoharie Greater than 15", DON'T Greens Lake Rondout Creek, between Merriman Dam Reservoir Smallmouth bass EAT; Less than 15", up to 4 DON'T EAT Mercury Kaaterskill Creek, upstream of waterfalls at (Reservoir Dam) and Eddyville Dam meals/month High Falls Extension Mill Rd Wilson Lake Schoharie Creek, upstream of All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Prattsville Barrier Dam Ten Mile Creek Don’t forget about tributaries and connected waters; see page 3. The advice applies up to the first impassable barrier on all tributaries.

See Catskill Region: Health Advice on Eating the Fish You Catch for additional advice for Delaware and Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: Sullivan Counties: www.health.ny.gov/fish/CAT www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. 11 12 Lower Hudson Region Advice Lower Hudson Region waters with specific advice:

Newburgh Area Waters and Locations & Boyd Corners Reservoir Fish Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Chemical Hudson River Tributaries Women Over 50 Rio Reservoir Children Under 15 of Concern All waters NOT listed Up to 4 meals/ ORANGE All fish Up to 4 meals/month PUTNAM Diverting Reservoir (Lower Hudson month Region) Greater than 16", up Breakneck Pond Reservoir Largemouth bass, to 1 meal/month; DON'T EAT Mercury WESTCHESTER Amawalk Smallmouth bass Less than 16", up to 4 ROCKLAND Reservoir meals/month Mario Cuomo Bridge All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury (formerly Tappan Zee) Greater than 21", up to 1 meal/month; Walleye DON'T EAT Mercury Sheldrake River Bog Brook Less than 21", up to 4 Reservoir meals/month All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Walleye Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT Mercury Greater than 16", up Boyd Corners to 1 meal/month; Largemouth bass DON'T EAT Mercury Reservoir Less than 16", up to 4 meals/month All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Where can the whole family eat the fish? Listed below are some public access waters where the whole family can eat up to four Greater than 15", up to 1 meal/month; meals per month of fish they catch. Largemouth bass DON'T EAT Mercury Breakneck Less than 15", up to 4 Orange County Putnam County Rockland County Westchester County Pond meals/month Barnes Lake Canopus Lake Lake , upstream Blue Lake Lake Sebago of Bronx River Dam All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Eagle Lake East Branch , Lake Wanoksink Croton River, upstream downstream of Diverting Lake Welch of Silver Lake Dam Greater than 16", up Largemouth bass, to 1 meal/month; Greenwood Lake Reservoir Dam Mahwah River DON'T EAT Mercury Hessian Lake Minisceongo Creek, Mohansic Lake Cross River Smallmouth bass Less than 16", up to 4 Island Pond upstream of Rockland Reservoir meals/month Lake Askoti Lake Mahopac Print Company Dam Lake Kanawauke Pine Meadow Brook Peekskill Hollow Brook, All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Lake Nawahunta Peekskill Hollow Brook, Pine Meadow Lake upstream of Hollow- Diverting Walleye Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT Mercury Lake Skannatati upstream of Hollow- brook Dam Lake Skenonto brook Dam (Westchester) Rockland Lake Stone Hill River Reservoir All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury Lake Stahahe Pelton Pond , upstream Swan Lake Walleye Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT Mercury Ramapo River Roaring Brook Lake of Piermont Paper East Branch Wallkill River Stillwater Pond Company Dam Reservoir All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT Mercury , Tiorati Brook, upstream downstream of West of Stony Point Dam Don’t forget that specific advice applies to tributaries and connected waters; see page 3. Branch Dam For example, advice for the Hudson River applies up to the first impassable barrier on all White Pond tributaries, including Croton River, Minisceongo Creek, Peekskill Hollow Brook, and Tiorati Brook/ Cedar Pond Brook.  13 14 Lower Hudson Region waters with specific advice, continued: Lower Hudson Region waters with specific advice, continued:

Locations & Locations & Fish Men Over 15 & Fish Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Chemical Women Under 50 & Chemical Tributaries Tributaries Women Over 50 Children Under 15 of Concern Women Over 50 Children Under 15 of Concern Channel catfish, Newburgh Area Gizzard shad, Walleye, DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs Waters:3 White catfish Beaverdam Lake Crest View Lake Atlantic needlefish, from Stewart Bluefish, Brown State Forest to bullhead, Carp, Beaverdam Lake Goldfish, Largemouth Up to 1 meal/ DON'T EAT PCBs Lockwood Basin/ All fish DON’T EAT3 DON’T EAT3 PFAS bass, Rainbow smelt, month Masterson Park Pond Smallmouth bass, Moodna Creek, Hudson River Striped bass, White upstream of Firthcliffe Rip Van Winkle Bridge perch Dam at Catskill to NYC Up to 4 meals/ Recreation Pond Battery PCBs, Blue crab meat month (six crabs DON'T EAT Silver Stream Cadmium per meal) Washington Lake Crab or lobster Greater than 15", tomalley PCBs, up to 1 meal/ (hepatopancreas, DON'T EAT DON'T EAT Dioxin, Smallmouth bass month; Less than DON'T EAT Mercury mustard) and cooking Cadmium Rio Reservoir 15", up to 4 liquid meals/month Up to 4 meals/ Up to 4 meals/ All other fish DON'T EAT PCBs All other fish DON'T EAT Mercury month month Channel catfish, Up to 1 meal/ American eel DON'T EAT Chlordane Gizzard shad, month Saw Mill River Smallmouth bass, DON’T EAT DON’T EAT PFAS, PCBs Up to 4 meals/ All other fish DON'T EAT Chlordane Walleye, and White month catfish Up to 1 meal/ Moodna Creek, Up to 4 meals/ Goldfish DON'T EAT Chlordane PFAS, PCBs, month downstream of Blue crab meat month (6 crabs DON’T EAT Firthcliffe Dam to cadmium Chlordane, per meal) Sheldrake River American eel DON'T EAT DON'T EAT mouth of Hudson River Dieldrin Crab or lobster PFAS, PCBs, Up to 4 meals/ Chlordane, tomalley and cooking DON’T EAT DON’T EAT cadmium, All other fish DON'T EAT liquid dioxin month Dieldrin Up to 1 meal/ Up to 1 meal/ All other fish DON’T EAT PFAS, PCBs White perch DON'T EAT Mercury month month Titicus Reservoir Up to 4 meals/ 3 Effective 7/24/17: Test results indicate that fish from these waters have elevated levels of PFAS (previously All other fish DON'T EAT Mercury referred to as PFCs) compared to fish from other waters. Based on data currently available, DOH month recommends that people who fish these waters return their catch. Up to 1 meal/ Walleye DON'T EAT Mercury month Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: West Branch Reservoir Up to 4 meals/ www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. All other fish DON'T EAT Mercury month 15 16

American eel Black Bluefish

Northern Hudson Hudson River Advice and River Advice Advice from Hudson Falls Advice Brook trout Advice for North of to New York City Battery Advice for Bronx, Kings, Bluegill sunfish Brown bullhead Corinth to Hudson Falls Nassau, New York, Richmond, Suffolk and Counties

Brown trout Carp Channel catfish

Largemouth bass Northern pike Pumpkinseed sunfish

Adirondack Region Advice Catskill Region Advice Advice for Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Advice for Delaware, Greene, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Sullivan and Ulster Counties Rainbow trout Redbreast sunfish Rock bass Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington Counties

Smallmouth bass Striped bass Walleye

White catfish Yellow perch White perch New York State Blue Crab Good Sanitary Practices Cooking and Eating Guide While Fishing and Handling Fish Blue crab advice for the Hudson River, Information about fishing and cooking fish New York City and Long Island caught in waters with microrganism concerns

Blue crab View and order publications online: www.health.ny.gov/fish/publications.htm 17 18 Fish from Stores and Restaurants The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the sale of commercial fish in markets. Due to concerns about mercury, the FDA and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna (bigeye), marlin, orange roughy, and tilefish.

Visit www.fda.gov/fishadvice or www.epa.gov/fishadvice for more information. More Information New York State Fish Advisories New York State Fishing Department of Health Department of Environmental www.health.ny.gov/fish Conservation (DEC) www.health.ny.gov/fish/maps.htm www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html (518) 402-7800 (800) 458-1158 DEC Region 5 [email protected] (Washington and Saratoga counties) Ray Brook Office Fishing in NYC Reservoirs (518) 897-1200 NYC Department of Environmental [email protected] Protection (NYC DEP) DEC Region 4 http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/ (Albany, Columbia, Greene, recreation/fishing.shtml Rensselaer, and Schenectady counties) 1-800-575-LAND (5263) Stamford Office [email protected] (607) 652-7366 [email protected] DEC Region 3 (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties) New Paltz Office (845) 256-3161 [email protected]

The DEC fishing website listed above has a wealth of resources to help you find publicly accessible fishing sites, boat launches, and license information. It also includes information on what types of fish are found in different waterbodies across New York.

Department 6545 of Health 4/21