With warm days ahead many people will be out fishing the local waters. Fish have a lot of healthy protein, vitamins and minerals. But if you and your family are eating fish caught in our local waterways (Saginaw River, Tittabawassee River and the Saginaw Bay), keep in mind that some fish can be harmful. We urge you to go to the www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish website.
The people that need to be the most careful are women of childbearing age, children under 15 years old, and people with health problems.
How should we be cooking the fish?
- First, trim away the fat. Most chemicals are stored in the fat, except for mercury. Mercury cannot be removed from fish.
- Take off the dark fatty tissue along the backbone, side, and belly. Take out the organs such as the liver and stomach. Do not eat any of these fish parts.
- Either remove the skin or poke holes in it before cooking. This allows fat to drain off. Do not eat the skin.
- Bake, broil or grill the fish so that the fat drips away.
- If you deep fry fish, use vegetable oil. Do not re-use the oil – throw it away.
- Fish should be cooked to a minimum internal cooking temperature of 145°F.
What is the best fish choice?
- Eat smaller, younger fish. Fish just over the legal size limit or pan fish tend to be lower in chemical contamination. Bigger and older fish have had more time to collect more chemicals.
- Most chemicals (except mercury) collect in fat. Avoid fatty fish like carp and catfish from contaminated waters. Instead, try eating farm-raised catfish from a grocery store.
- Avoid eating shark, tilefish, king mackerel and swordfish, especially if you are in one of the risk categories. These fish have been found to have high levels of mercury.
How do you obtain more information?
These resources have specific recommendations on what fish to eat and how much.
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Visit www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish
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Call 1-800-MI-TOXIC (1-800-648-6942)
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Call your local health department
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Saginaw County Department of Public Health 989-758-3686
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Bay County Health Department 989-895-4009
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