Eat Fish, Choose Wisely • Eat Fish, Choose Wisely • Eat Fish, Choose Wisely • Eat Fish, Choose Wisely • Eat Fish, Choose Wisely • Eat Fish, Choose Wisely
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LD SERVI LT SERV HI NG U ING Family Guide to Eating C AD DANGER! Locally-Caught Fish Eat Fish, carp Choose Wisely Fish are an important part of a healthy diet — choose wisely. Most fish are safe to eat, but some contain dangerous chemicals (mercury and The recommended serving of fish catfish polychlorinated biphenyls, WHAT IS A for an adult is 6 ounces, about the or PCBs). These chemicals can build up in fish size of the palm of your hand. that live for a long time and are predators (such SERVING Give children smaller servings. as largemouth bass and catfish). The chemicals ONLY EAT THE Mercury builds up in organs and PCBs enter your body when you eat polluted fish. ? largemouth SKINLESS FILLET. build up in fat. These chemicals remain in the fish when it’s cooked whole. bass PCBs and mercury are odorless and colorless — WHY The fillet is the least-contaminated you can’t tell if a fish is polluted with PCBs or part of the fish. Eating only the skin- mercury by looking at, smelling or tasting it. ? less fillet reduces your exposure to These fish may contain the PCBs and mercury are especially dangerous for PCBs and mercury. highest levels of chemicals. women ages 15 to 44 and children under 15, See map on back for details. who should avoid fish from polluted areas. ¥ PCBs build up in the body and may cause cancer in humans. Why is this water contaminated? Some waters throughout North Carolina are polluted with mercury. Electric power generation and incinerators put mercury into the air, where it either What’s Inside? ¥ Mercury builds up in the body and can harm falls directly into bodies of water or washes into rivers and lakes when it rains. PCBs are in Triangle-area waters Most fish are safe to eat, but some found the brain and kidneys. as a result of pollution from commercial activities, such as the Ward Transformer in local Triangle-area waters are polluted ¥ Mothers can transfer PCBs and mercury to y cur Superfund site, a former industrial facility. Pay attention to state advisories on with dangerous chemicals. Look inside for their unborn children during pregnancy and r e PCBs, mercury, and other chemicals and to local catch-and-release policies. 6 a map of local fishing sites and information to an infant through breast milk. m Visit www.EatFishWisely.org for more information. to protect your and your family’s health. ¥ PCB and mercury exposure can harm the brain mercum of a baby or young child. eer r Babies born to women who consume high levels ccu ¥ u of PCBs and mercury can have low birth weight. ryr Why are children at greater risk? Children’s bodies are still developing, and an amount of a chemical that would not harm an adult can cause PCBs damage to a child. Women, particularly those who are thinking about becom- PCBs ing pregnant, should reduce their mercury www.EatFishWisely.org and PCB exposure. Created by the UNC Superfund Research Program with support in part from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Grant #P42ES005948) EAT FISH, CHOOSE WISELY • EAT FISH, CHOOSE WISELY • EAT FISH, CHOOSE WISELY • EAT FISH, CHOOSE WISELY • EAT FISH, CHOOSE WISELY • EAT FISH, CHOOSE WISELY Fish Advisories for Map Locations A Guide to Triangle Fishing Sites BRIER CREEK, LITTLE BRIER CREEK, & BRIER CREEK RESERVOIR Do not eat ANY fish from here. Eno River LAKE CRABTREE & CRABTREE CREEK BELOW DAM 85 85 7085 Catfish and Carp: Never eat Largemouth Bass: Children and All other fish: Eat up to 1 serving New Hope Creek from here. women ages 15 to 44 should per month. DURHAM never eat this from any location in North Carolina. Everyone else Falls Lake can eat 1 serving per month Cane Creek Reservoir 40 from this location. CRABTREE CREEK 1414 7 7085 Brier Creek 54 CHAPEL 40 Reservoir and 540 HILL Brier Creek Carp: Never eat more than 1 serving Catfish and Largemouth Bass: All other fish: Children and Big per month from here. Children and women ages women ages 15 to 44 can eat Lake 15 to 44 should never eat this up to 2 servings per week. University Lake from here. Everyone else can Everyone else can eat up to Sycamore eat 1 serving per month from 4 servings per week. Lake this location. 501 f lows to Neuse River OTHER LOCATIONS ON THE MAP 851 Haw River Lake Crabtree 40 and RALEIGH Jordan Lake Catfish and Largemouth Bass: All other fish: Children and Crabtree Creek Children and women ages women ages 15 to 44 can eat CARYRYAC 15 to 44 should never eat this up to 2 servings per week. BondBon Lake LakLakekee Johnson from here. Everyone else can Everyone else can eat up to 540 6485 eat 1 serving per month from 4 servings per week. this location. 6485 STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL: MERCURY LakeLake WheelerWWheheeler Across North Carolina, children and women ages 15 to 44 should never eat largemouth bass or other fish high 851 ShearonrShea on in mercury caught in the state. HarrisrrisHa Southeast of I-85, catfish are high in mercury and should never be eaten by women ages 15 to 44 and children. ReservoirReservvoirooir Why largemouth bass and catfish? These and other high-mercury fish live a long time and eat many smaller organisms, allowing chemicals to build up to high levels in their bodies. Visit www.EatFishWisely.org for a complete list of high-mercury fish..