Report: Local anglers eating too much fish
Minorities more likely to exceed safety guidelines
James Travis set his fishing line in the murky waters off Monona Terrace Convention Center Saturday morning and pulled up one blue gill after another. Some were judged too small and tossed back into Lake Monona. Others were dropped in a pail on their way to dinner table.
Travis, of Madison, said he eats locally caught fish about once every other week, which would put him within the state safety guidelines for exposure to mercury through fish consumption.
But a local advocacy group, Madison Environmental Justice Organization, says its newly released research found that many local shoreline anglers, especially minorities, eat tainted fish in excess of recommended safety limits.
Because of mercury contamination, the state advises no more than two meals a week of blue gill or crappie; one meal a week for pregnant women and children.
Hmong anglers surveyed by Madison Environmental Justice Organization reported as many as 21 family meals per week, and an average of 3.6 meals, of locally caught fish. Latino participants reported an average of 3.9 meals per week; African-Americans, 2.3 meals; and whites, 1.5 meals.
Sixty-five percent of 129 people interviewed said they ate local shoreline catch, "The State of Shoreline Fishing in Dane County" reported. Latino, Hmong and African-American fishers reported serving their families local catch more often than did white anglers. Nearly all the survey participants were low income, researchers said.
Madison Environmental Justice Organization's previous research found that most of 150 people interviewed at neighborhood centers, parks and service agencies were unaware of the state's advisories to limit intake of various fish species because of contamination with mercury, PCBs and other toxins. No one interviewed said they had seen a Department of Natural Resources or Department of Health and Family Services brochure identifying those fish, the non-profit organization reported.
The advocacy group is lobbying Dane County to erect permanently installed fish consumption advisory signs in English, Hmong and Spanish at popular fishing spots in Dane County. Signs warning of PCB contamination of larger carp in Lake Monona and Lake Mendota also are needed, the report says.
No warning signs were visible Saturday along the wall edging the path behind the convention center, from which fishers set their lines every day of the week in season.
Foster Bezue had traveled from Milwaukee with his family to fish the wall Saturday, as he does several times each summer in search of blue gill and crappie. He estimated he eats a meal of Dane County caught fish -- hopefully his favored crappie -- about once a month.
Although he lives near Lake Michigan, Bezue said he wouldn't eat fish from that much larger lake.
"This lake is cleaner, and it has better crappie," he said of Lake Monona.
Dan Devins, who was fishing along the wall with a buddy Saturday, said although he loves the experience, he doesn't eat his catch.
"There's a lot of speculation about mercury concentration," he said. "I'd be afraid to eat it."
File photo
Anglers line up outside Monona Terrace Convention Center to drop a line into Lake Monona.
