For immediate use
UNC-Chapel Hill develops guide to help Triangle fishermen safely eat their catch
(Chapel Hill, N.C.— June 27, 2016) — Families enjoying North Carolina’s Free Fishing Day at Triangle-area lakes or rivers this Fourth of July will have new resources to help them understand health advisories about eating the fish they catch, thanks to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Over the holiday weekend, the Superfund Research Program in Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, along with the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Environmental Resource Program, will release “Eat Fish, Choose Wisely.” The new Web site and brochure will help anglers learn about harmful chemicals that may be present in fish caught in local waterways and how they can reduce their exposure.
Mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chemicals found in some Triangle-area lakes and streams, can accumulate in fish that live long lives and eat other fish, especially largemouth bass, catfish and carp, making them unsafe to eat. High levels of PCBs have been found in fish in Lake Crabtree County Park and its tributaries, which are near the Ward Transformer Superfund site.
“The idea for the guide came about when two of our long-time community partners—Neuse River Keeper Matthew Starr and Lake Crabtree County Park Manager Drew Cade—expressed concerns that fishermen, especially Spanish-speaking anglers, were eating fish caught from local waterways that were contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls from a nearby Superfund site,” explained Kathleen Gray, research translation core leader with the UNC Superfund Research Program and director of the Institute for the Environment’s Environmental Resource Program.
UNC-Chapel Hill staff conducted interviews with local fishermen to learn about the kinds of information that would help them better understand health advisories and how they wanted to receive it. The resources were created with a map as a central focus, after determining that fishermen wanted information not only about the sources of contaminants, but also other places they could fish.
The guide features information on all fish advisories for the Triangle-area, including specific recommendations for more vulnerable populations, such as children and women of childbearing age. It also includes tips for families to enjoy the benefits of eating fish while reducing their exposure to chemicals. For example, cooks should prepare the skinless filet of fish, which is the least-contaminated part, and children should eat smaller portions than adults.
“Fishing is a great recreational activity, and fish are an important part of a healthy diet,” said Sound Rivers’ Upper Neuse Riverkeeper Matthew Starr. “We hope this guide will help community members become more aware of fish consumption advisories and how to reduce their risk of exposure to these harmful chemicals.”
To find out more, check out the Eat Fish, Choose Wisely Web site. The brochure is available for download in English and Spanish.
-Carolina-
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 78 bachelor’s, 112 master’s, 68 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. Every day, faculty – including two Nobel laureates – staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina’s more than 308,000 alumni live in all 50 states and 150 countries. More than 167,000 live in North Carolina.
UNC Superfund Research Program/UNC Institute for the Environment contact: Kathleen Gray, (919) 962-9799, kgray@unc.edu
UNC Institute for the Environment contact: Emily Williams, (919) 962-0965, emilywilliams@unc.edu
Communications and Public Affairs contact: MC VanGraafeiland, (919) 962-7090, mc.vangraafeiland@unc.edu