Advice on Fish Health Advisories (includes botulism)
Marine
Marine Bluefish and Eels - The general advisory {Eat no more than one meal (one-half pound) per week} applies to bluefish and American eels but not to most other fish (see "Marine Striped Bass") from Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Peconic/ Gardiners Bays, the Lower Bay of New York Harbor, Raritan Bay east of Wolfe's Pond Park, Jamaica Bay and other Long Island south shore waters.
Marine Striped Bass - Women of childbearing age and children under the age of 15 should eat no striped bass taken from Upper and Lower Bays of New York Harbor, Raritan Bay, or Long Island Sound west of Wading River. Other people should 1 meal/month of striped bass from these waters. Everyone should eat no more than one meal per week of striped bass taken from Jamaica Bay, Eastern Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Peconic/Gardiners Bay or Long Island south shore waters.
Marine Crab and Lobsters - The hepatopancreas ("green stuff," sometimes called mustard, tomalley or liver) of crabs and lobsters should not be eaten because it has high contaminant levels.
Deformed or Abnormal Fish
The health implications of eating deformed or abnormal fish are unknown. Any obviously diseased fish (marked by tumors, lesions or other abnormal condition of the fish skin, meat or internal organs) should be discarded.
Botulism in Fish and Waterfowl
In recent years, large numbers of some species of Lake Erie (and to a lesser extent Lake Ontario) fish and waterfowl have been found dead, sick and dying, many of them as a result of botulism poisoning. The botulism poison is produced by Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which is common in the environment and can produce harmful levels of botulism poison under certain environmental conditions. This poison has been found in some of the affected fish and waterfowl. The botulism poison can cause illness and death if consumed by humans or animals. Cooking may not destroy the botulism poison. This problem may also occur in other waters, and we don't know whether all or only some fish and waterfowl species can be affected.
No human cases of botulism poisoning have been linked to these events. However, as a precaution, do not eat any fish or game if they are found dead or dying, act abnormally or seem sick. If you must handle dead or dying fish, birds or other animals, cover your hands with disposable rubber or plastic protective gloves or a plastic bag. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is monitoring the situation and investigating the cause of this problem.
Additional information about botulism can be found at Sea Grant's website. See link at right.
Good Sanitary Practices - Bacteria, Viruses and Parasites in Fish and Game
Fish and game and other meats can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites that can cause illness. You should harvest fish and game that act and look healthy, and follow good sanitary practices when preparing them. We recommend that you wear rubber or plastic protective gloves while filleting, field dressing, skinning or butchering. We also recommend that you remove intestines soon after harvest, don't eat intestines and avoid direct contact with intestinal contents. Hands, utensils and work surfaces should be washed before and after handling any raw food, including fish and game meat. Fish and game should be kept cool (with ice or refrigerated below 45o F or 7o C) until filleted or butchered and then should be refrigerated or frozen. Some hunters prefer to hang big game for several days before butchering; this should not be done unless the game can be kept at temperatures consistently below 45o F Fish and other seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature (in the thickest part) of 140o F (60o C); game birds and other types of wild game meat should be cooked to an internal temperature (in the thickest part) of 165o F (74o C).
Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife
Long-lasting contaminants, such as PCBs, DDT, and mercury, build up in your body over time. It may take months or years of regularly eating contaminated fish to build up amounts which are a health concern. Health problems which may result from the contaminants found in fish range from small changes in health that are hard to detect to birth defects and cancer. Mothers who eat highly contaminated fish and wildlife for many years before becoming pregnant may have children who are slower to develop and learn. The meal advice in this advisory aims to protect children from these potential developmental problems. Adults are less likely to have health problems at the low levels that affect children.
Some contaminants cause cancer in animals. Your risk of cancer from eating contaminated fish and wildlife cannot be predicted with certainty. Cancer currently affects about one in every three people, primarily due to smoking, diet, and hereditary risk factors. Exposure to contaminants in the fish and wildlife you eat may not increase your cancer risk at all. If you follow this advisory over your lifetime, you will minimize your exposure and reduce whatever cancer risk is associated with these contaminants.
The Federal Government establishes standards for chemical residues in food. When establishing these standards for fish, the Federal Government assumes that people eat about one-half pound of fish each month. The contaminant levels are measured in a skin-on fillet which has not been trimmed; this sample is used in determining whether or not the fish exceeds standards. Fish and wildlife cannot be legally sold if they contain a contaminant at a level greater than its standard. When sportfish from a waterbody contain contaminants at levels greater than the federal standard, the DOH issues a specific advisory.
Other Advisories
DOH has also issued special advisories for snapping turtles and waterfowl. Cooking methods are recommended that minimize the amount of contamination which would be eaten. Advisories for snapping turtles and waterfowl are provided in the Hunting and Trapping Guide.
