NUTRITION EDUCATOR CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SARATOGA COUNTY NYS DOH HUDSON RIVER FISH ADVISORY OUTREACH PROJECT PARTNER

If you’re hooked on fishing in the Hudson River, you should be aware of the NYS Department of Health (DOH) Hudson River Fish Advisory, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Catch & Release regulation. Due to PCB pollution in the Hudson River, the DOH issued an advisory about eating fish from the river. The advisory varies based on where you fish, what you catch, and who you are. The DEC has designated the Hudson River between the Hudson Falls Dam to the Federal Dam in Troy as a Catch & Release fishing area due to the high level of PCBs in that section. In fact, fish themselves can have thousands of times more PCBs than the water they live in. No one should eat any fish caught in this section of the Hudson River.

Traveling south of the Federal Dam in Troy, the pollution level is lower, and so is the corresponding PCB levels in the fish. However, women of childbearing age and all children under 15 years of age are advised not to eat any fish from the Hudson River all the way downstream to the NYC Battery. For women 50 and over and men 15 and over, four species of fish, including Rock bass, Yellow perch, Alewife, and Blueback herring, caught between the Federal Dam and the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill can be eaten up to once a month.

South of Catskill, more species of fish can be eaten up to one meal (1/2 pound) a month, including Striped bass. Visit www.health.ny.gov/fish for the latest, complete fish advisory information. Why Are There Advisories? Fishing is fun and fish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish offer high quality protein and essential nutrients, including healthy fish oils. However, fish caught in the Hudson River south of the South Glens Falls Dam have an industrial chemical in them called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that can build up in your body over time. Health problems that may result from eating fish with PCBs range from small changes in health that are hard to detect, to effects on birthweight and cancer. Women who eat highly contaminated fish and become pregnant may have an increased risk of having children who are slower to develop and learn. Exposure to contaminants may also have a greater effect on young children than adults. Get Hooked on Clean Waters Fortunately, there are many bodies of waters in NYS that are clean. Go to www.health.ny.gov/fish to find a list of fishing waters by region.