Due to the declining amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the water of the Hudson River, the New York State Department of Health has now declared that catching and eating fish from the River is now mostly safe, with pregnant women and children under 15—the “Sensitive Population”—able to eat up to one 8-ounce meal a month of striped bass, and the general population is able to eat up to four meals a month.
PCBs are a group of man-made, synthetic organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms. They get stored in the fat of the fish, so the Department of Health recommends you cut the fat off once you catch the fish and then cook it so that the fat melts off, which can lower the amount of PCBs in the fish by roughly 50%. The department still recommends that the public should not consume Carp and Smallmouth bass from the lower Hudson because of PCBs and other possible chemicals, such as high amounts of mercury.
New restrictive regulations were also introduced across the waters in New York, mostly surrounding the levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) detected in some fish. PFOS was once a widely used surfactant in fabric protectors, firefighting foams, and chemical mixtures. The contaminant levels in Mid-Hudson fish still did not change, so fishing is not recommended in that area.
The lower amount of chemicals in the water truly shows how nature can bounce back from any hazard, with the Department of Health working to remove harmful chemicals from the water.
The Department of Health continues to monitor and address harmful contaminants to help protect public health. Each year, the department updates the public about concerns about contaminants on their website. As always, the public should be cautious with fish consumption and always listen to the New York State Department of Health on health advisories in their area.
