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Health Advice on Eating Fish Catch

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1 Why We Have Advisories is fun and fish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish contain high quality protein, essential nutrients, healthy fish oils, and are low in saturated fat. However, 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 issues advice about eating sportfish (fish you catch). The health advice about which fish to eat depends on:

Where You Fish Health Risks Fish from that are close to activities and contamination sources are more likely to be The primary chemicals of concern in waters and marine waters contaminated than fish from remote marine waters. are PCBs, PFAS, dioxin, and cadmium. In Long Island freshwaters the primary chemical is In the New York City/Long Island (NYC/LI) , chlordane and PFAS. These chemicals build up in your body over . Health problems that fish from the Long Island or the ocean are less may result from chemicals in fish range from small changes in health that are to detect contaminated. to birth defects and cancer. Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish/additional_information.htm for more information. Who You Are Women of childbearing age (under 50) and children under 15 are advised to limit the kinds of fish they eat Tips for Healthier Eating • , viruses, or parasites can and how often they eat them. Women who eat highly be in or on fish. Keep harvested fish contaminated fish and become pregnant may have an • Try to space out your fish meals. For cold. Wear gloves when skinning and increased risk of having children who are slower to example, if the advice is that you can trimming. Wash hands and surfaces develop and learn. Chemicals may have a greater effect on eat up to four meals a month, don’t often when preparing fish, and keep the development of young children or unborn babies. Also, eat them all in the same week. This is raw foods separate. Cook fish and some chemicals may be passed on in mother’s milk. particularly important for women and thoroughly before eating. young children. Women beyond their childbearing years and men may face fewer • Do not eat the tomalley (“green stuff,” health risks from some chemicals. For that reason, the advice for mustard, liver, or hepatopancreas) ne meal = ½ poun women over age 50 and men over age 15 allows them to eat more kinds O d found in the body section of and of sportfish and more often (see tables, pages 3-12). , and discard cooking liquid. Tomalley can contain high levels of What You Catch chemicals, including PCBs, dioxin, and There is specific advice about limiting or not eating cadmium. certain kinds of fish in the NYC/LI area (see tables, pages 3-12). Some species (kinds of fish) have higher See more tips for healthier eating on page 13. levels of chemicals than others. In , smaller fish are less contaminated than larger, older fish of the same species.

2 3 1 2 Van Cortlandt NYC UPPER , Rivers and Kills Riverdale Park

George Roberto Clemente BRONX Manhasset Ba RIVERState Park Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & BR Waterbody ONX RIVER Fish Women Over 50 Children Under 15 y

HARLEM Little Neck ark American eel DON’T EAT DON’T EAT RIVER Throgs Ba HUDSON RIVERerside P Powell’s y Riv ATTAN Cove Neck Atlantic needlefish Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Bridge EAST36th MANH Gentry Plaza World’s Fair State Park Marina Cove Up to 6 crabs/week 40 NEWT crabs DON’T EAT OWN CREEK DON’T EAT tomalley Pier 25/26 Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Y Bridge UPPER Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT GOWANUS NEWARK BA VAN KULL Canarsie Gateway National JFK DON’T EAT DON’T EAT BROOKLYN Recreation Area Airpor y Park t Paerdegat Botanical Verrazano Head of Ba Gizzard shad DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Basin Garden Narrows Bay FDR Bridge Victory Blvd. Floyd River Goldfish Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Boardwalk south of Sheepshead Bay Bennet Lower Field Tappan Zee Bridge Rainbow smelt Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT y Beach New York Bayswater Point ARTHUR KILL Rocka ATEN ISLAND Area State Park ST y National Bay Beach DON’T EAT: Newark Bay, Rockaway Point Gatewa Long Island South Shore Arthur Kill, Kill Van Kull Wolfe’s Recreation Striped DON’T EAT west of Up to 1 meal/month: from other waters listed to the left Park Wolfe’s Pond Park RARITAN BAY Conference White catfish DON’T EAT DON’T EAT House Park The waters listed in the table (page 3) are bolded on this map.

DON’T EAT: Newark Bay, Arthur Kill, Kill Van Kull, Upper New York Bay, Western White Raritan Bay DON’T EAT American eel Atlantic needlefish Blue Bluefish Carp Channel catfish Up to 1 meal/month: from other waters listed to the left

Crab or Gizzard shad DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Goldfish Rainbow smelt White catfish White perch tomalley

Other fish not What about tributaries and connected waters? Up to 4 meals/month DON’T EAT listed The health advice also applies to tributaries and connected waters if there are no , Check the DEC website for updated regulations and special restrictions for certain species: falls, or barriers to stop the fish from moving upstream. This is because chemicals remain www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. in fish when 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 Please note that all fresh bodies in New York City are catch and release only and are this booklet. 4 not regularly monitored for contaminants. For more information visit: 5 3 http://www.eregulations.com/newyork/fishing/special-regulations-waters-new-york-city/ 4 NYC LOWER Bay, Ocean and Sound Riverdale Park Pelham Bay Park

George er Roberto Riv Clemente BRONX MANHASSET BA Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Washington Waterbody Fish Bridge State Park Women Over 50 Children Under 15 lem Bronx Riv Y Har LONG ISLAND SOUND er er LITTLE NECK ark River American eel Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month BA Throgs Y Hudson Riv erside P Powell’s NEW JERSEY Riv ATTAN Astoria Park Cove Neck 36th Street Bridge MANH East World’s Fair Bluefish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month Gentry Plaza State Park Marina Cove Newto Pier 25/26 wn Creek QUEENS Atlantic Ocean Striped bass Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month Williamsburg Bridge (excluding The Battery Brooklyn ) y Bridge Greater than 25”, up Upper Long Island Sound Greater than 25”, DON’T Gowanus Canal to 1 meal/month; New York EAT; Less than 25”, up to Newark BaKill Bay Less than 25”, up to 4 an Kull Canarsie Gateway National JFK Raritan Bay east of 1 meal/month V Airpor meals/month BROOKLYN Park Recreation Area Y Wolfe’s Pond Park Staten Island t Botanical Verrazano PAERDEGAT JAMAICA BASIN HEAD OF BA Garden Narrows BAY Crab or lobster FDR Bridge DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Victory Blvd. Floyd tomalley Boardwalk SHEEPSHEAD BAY Bennet LOWER Field CH thur Kill Y BEA Ar NEW YORK Bayswater Point Coney Island ROCKAWA Follow the FDA guidelines: ATEN ISLAND Area BAY State Park Other fish not listed ST y National Beach www.fda.gov/fishadvice Rockaway Point Gatewa Wolfe’s Recreation LONG ISLAND SOUTH SHORE Pond Park Paerdegat Basin (and RARITAN BAY ATLANTIC OCEAN 200 yards from its All fish, All crabs DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Conference mouth) in Jamaica Bay* House Park The waters listed in the table (page 5) are bolded on this map.

* The advice for Paerdegat Basin was issued in response to a spill that led to discharges of PCB containing material Common Fish in NYS Marine Waters in the Basin. An environmental investigation is underway to determine if there is residual contamination in the Basin. Please check www.health.ny.gov/fish to see whether this advice is still in effect.

Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. American eel Bluefish Dogfish

Please note that all bodies in New York City parks are catch and release only and are not regularly monitored for contaminants. For more information visit: http://www.eregulations.com/newyork/fishing/special-regulations-waters-new-york-city/

The public is also reminded that all New York City waters are closed to shellfishing (harvest of Sea robin Striped bass Summer clams, mussels, , or ). For information about shellfishing in Long Island waters, visit www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/345.html. 6 Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish for the latest fish advisory information. 7 5 Weakfish Winter flounder 6 Long Island Fresh Waters - Nassau Whitney Park Pond

Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Waterbody Fish Women Over 50 Children Under 15 Ridders Pond SUFFOLK

All freshwaters All fish Up to 4 meal/month Up to 4 meal/month  NOT listed below NASSAU  Hall’s Pond Carp Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Freeport Reservoir    All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT Grant Park Pond      Carp Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Grant Park Pond All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT

Carp, Goldfish DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Smith Pond Massapequa Reservoir/ Hall’s Pond (Rockville Centre) Upper Massapequa Reservoir All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT

Carp, Goldfish Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Loft’s Pond Freeport Upper Twin Lofts Pond Reservoir Pond All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT Smith Pond Massapequa Carp, White perch Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT (Roosevelt Park) Reservoir, upstream of Long Island Railroad All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT

Goldfish DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Ridders Pond All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT American eel Carp Goldfish White perch White perch Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Smith Pond, See images of additional freshwater fish species on pages 9-10. Rockville Centre All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT

Carp, Goldfish Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT What about tributaries and connected waters? Smith Pond, The health advice also applies to tributaries and connected waters if there are American eel DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Roosevelt Park no dams, falls, or barriers to stop the fish from moving upstream. This is because All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT chemicals remain in fish when 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 American eel, Carp Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT office listed on the back of this booklet. Upper Twin Pond All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. Carp, Goldfish Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT Whitney Park Pond All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish for the latest fish advisory information. 8 9 7 8 Long Island Fresh Waters - Suffolk County

Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Waterbody Fish Women Over 50 Children Under 15 

All freshwaters All fish Up to 4 meal/month Up to 4 meal/month NOT listed below Spring  (Middle Island) American eel Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT SUFFOLK , Fresh Pond upstream of  Brown Bullhead Up to 4 meal/month Up to 4 meal/month () Southaven Park  All other fish Up to 4 meal/month Up to 1 meal/month Carmans River Greater than 15”, up to 1 meal/ Lake Capri upstream of Fresh , Largemouth bass month; Less than 15”, up to 4 DON’T EAT Southaven Park Dam Hither Hills meals/month State Park All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT What about tributaries and connected waters? American eel, Carp Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT The health advice also applies to tributaries and connected waters if there are no dams, Lake Capri falls, or barriers to stop the fish from moving upstream. This is because chemicals All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT remain in fish when they move from one waterbody to another. If you are not sure about Carp, Goldfish DON’T EAT DON’T EAT possible fish barriers near waters where you are fishing, call your DEC office listed on Spring Lake, the back of this booklet. Middle Island All other fish Up to 4 meal/month DON’T EAT Check the DEC website for regulations and special restrictions for certain species: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html.

American eel Rainbow trout Black crappie sunfish Pumpkinseed sunfish Smallmouth bass

Brown bullhead Brown trout Carp Walleye White perch

Chain pickerel Goldfish Largemouth bass Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish for the latest fish advisory information. 10 11 9 10 Long Island Marine Waters

Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Men Over 15 & Women Under 50 & Waterbody Waterbody Fish Fish Women Over 50 Children Under 15 Women Over 50 Children Under 15

American eel Up to 1 meal/month DON’T EAT American eel Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month Carmans River, portion from Atlantic Ocean Southaven Park Bluefish and Bluefish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month Sound Dam to Beaverdam Striped bass Road (See page 9 for Carmans River Greater than 25”, up Jamaica Bay (excluding Greater than 25”, DON’T Striped bass Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month freshwater advice) to 1 meal/month; Less Paerdegat Basin) Weakfish EAT; Less than 25”, up to 1 than 25”, up to 4 meals/ meal/month Long Island Sound month Greater than 25”, up to 1 Greater than 25”, DON’T Quantuck Creek, tidal Long Island South Weakfish meal/month; Less than EAT; Less than 25”, up to 1 portion between Shore (excluding tidal 25” up to 4 meals/month meal/month Old Ice Pond and Crab or lobster portions of Carmans Quioque Point tomalley and DON’T EAT DON’T EAT River, , and Crab or lobster cooking liquid Quantuck Creek) tomalley and DON’T EAT DON’T EAT Forge River, tidal cooking liquid portion from Montauk All other fish Follow FDA guidelines: All other fish Up to 1 meal/month Follow FDA guidelines: www.fda.gov/fishadvice Dam to Masury Point and crab meat www.fda.gov/fishadvice and crab meat

Paerdegat Basin (and * The advice for Paerdegat Basin was issued in response to a spill that led to discharges of PCB containing material in 200 yards from its All fish, All crabs DON’T EAT DON’T EAT the Basin. An environmental investigation is underway to determine if there is residual contamination in the Basin. mouth) in Jamaica Bay* Please check www.health.ny.gov/fish to see whether this advice is still in effect.

Block Island Gardiners Sound Bay Quantuck Creek Long Island Sound Forge River Long Island Sound Carmans River Quogue Peconic Bay Westhampton Quioque SUFFOLK Masury Beach Atlantic Ocean/ Point Point NASSAU Long Island South Shore Mastic See Inset Beach

Atlantic Ocean/ Jamaica Bay Long Island South Shore Paerdegat Basin 12 13 11 12 Tips to Reduce PCBs, Chlordane, Dieldrin, and Dioxin Other Free Publications Available: • 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:

Hudson River Advice Advice Advice from Hudson Falls Advice for Albany, , Dutchess, to New York City Battery Greene, , Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Ulster, Washington, and Westchester

• Cooking or soaking fish cannot eliminate the chemicals, but from cooking melts some of the fat. Broil, grill, or bake the trimmed, skinned fish on a rack so that the fat drips away. Do not use drippings in sauces or gravies. • To reduce exposures to PCBs, chlordane, dieldrin, and dioxin, avoid or eat less American eel, bluefish, carp, striped bass, white and channel catfish, and white perch because these fish tend to have higher levels of these contaminants.

Tips to Avoid Region Advice Catskill Region Advice • The only way to reduce how much mercury you get from fish is to avoid certain Advice for Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Advice for , Greene, Sullivan species or eat smaller fish within a species. Fulton, , Herkimer, Lewis, and Ulster Counties Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Warren, and • To reduce exposures to mercury from freshwater fish, avoid or eat less largemouth Washington Counties and smallmouth bass, northern pike, pickerel, walleye, and larger yellow perch (for example, longer than 10 inches) because these fish tend to have higher mercury levels. • To reduce exposures to mercury from marine fish, follow the guidelines for supermarket fish available at www.fda.gov/fishadvice for striped bass, bluefish, black sea bass, rockfish, and weakfish. • 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 New York State Blue Crab Good Sanitary Practices mercury in a fish meal. 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

14 View and order publications online: www.health.ny.gov/fish/publications.htm 15 13 14 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 Fishing Marine Waters Department of Health DEC Bureau of Marine Resources www.health.ny.gov/fish (631) 444-0430 (518) 402-7800 [email protected] (800) 458-1158 [email protected] I FISH NY NYC and LI Freshwater Fishing Guide: New York State Fishing www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/ Department of Environmental ifnyliandnycfishing.pdf Conservation (DEC) www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html DEC Region 1 - Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties) (631) 444-0280 [email protected] DEC Region 2 - New York City (Brooklyn, Bronx, , Queens, and SI) (718) 482-4922 [email protected]

Department 16 6532 of H ealth 4/21