Guide to eating Ontario sport fish, 2009-2010, twenty-fifth edition, revised / Guide de consommation du poisson gibier de l'Ontario, 2009-2010, vingt-cinquieme edition, revue et augmentee

2009·6.9 MB·English

Guide to Eating
Ontario Sport Fish
2009 – 2010 Edition
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Guide to
Eating Ontario
Sport Fish
2009-2010
Twenty-fifth Edition, Revised
©2009, Queen’s Printer for Ontario
This book may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes with
appropriate attribution.
ISSN 0826-9653 (Print)
ISBN 978-1-4249-9219-5 (Print, 2009-2010 ed.)
ISSN 1712-8269 (Online)
ISBN 978-1-4249-9220-1 (PDF, 2009-2010 ed.)
A limited number of copies of this book are available from:
Public Information Centre
Ministry of the Environment
135 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario M4V 1P5
[phone] / 1-800-565-4923
[email protected]
Distributed free of charge
PIBS 590B14
Contents
Instructions on use of the Guide..................................................... 2
Summary of critical information..................................................... 3
Important advice for women of child-bearing age and children .......................... 5
Contaminants in Ontario sport fish................................................... 5
The basis for fish consumption advisories............................................. 5
Consumption advisory tables........................................................ 6
What part of the fish can be safely consumed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
How to use the Guide............................................................ 7
To whom does this Guide apply? .................................................. 7
Advice for women of child-bearing age and children ................................. 7
Key to using Guide tables ........................................................ 8
Muskellunge.................................................................... 10
American Eel................................................................... 10
Gobies......................................................................... 10
Fish Eggs ...................................................................... 10
Clams ......................................................................... 11
Snapping Turtles................................................................ 11
Consumption advisories for spawning locations of salmon and trout ................... 11
Reducing the risk from contaminants in sport fish...................................... 11
Fish parasites..................................................................... 12
Tumours in fish ................................................................... 12
E. coli bacteria.................................................................... 13
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Microcystins...................................................................... 13
Fish “Die-offs” .................................................................... 13
Botulism E ....................................................................... 14
The Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program ...................................... 14
Selection of locations and species for testing ....................................... 14
Collection of fish for testing ...................................................... 15
Retesting of locations............................................................ 15
Testing of fish .................................................................. 15
Preserving and preparing your fish for cooking...................................... 15
How to release fish.............................................................. 16
Contaminants in fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Inorganic substances ............................................................ 17
Industrial chemicals............................................................. 17
Pesticides...................................................................... 18
Other contaminants ............................................................. 19
Causes of fish consumption advisories................................................ 19
The history of sport fish contaminant monitoring in Ontario ............................. 21
Addresses ........................................................................ 23
Southern Ontario tables ............................................................ 26
Northern Ontario tables ............................................................ 122
Great Lakes tables................................................................. 235
Location index.................................................................... 272
Fish names ....................................................................... 280
Fish identification ....................................................... (centre pages)
Benefits vs. Risks of eating fish ............................................ (centre pages)
1
Preface years any major changes in consumption
advice are made public by the Ministry
This 25th edition of the Guide to Eating
of the Environment through the Public
Ontario Sport Fish gives consumption
Information Centre and on the ministry
advice for Ontario sport fish found at 1860
website. The media are also notified.
locations, 100 of which are new. The format
Consumers with questions on the status
of the 2009-2010 Guide is unchanged from
of specific consumption advisories should
the previous 2007-08 edition. However, there
contact the Sport Fish Contaminant
are many changes in the advisory tables
Monitoring Program.
reflecting updated guidelines for some
contaminants as well as the incorporation To report pollution and/or related fish
of approximately 120,000 test results kills, contact your nearest Ministry of the
performed on about 12,000 fish. Environment office or the Ministry’s Spills
Action Centre (see page 23).
The advisories continue to be based on
health protection guidelines provided by Anyone requiring information on fishing
the Food Directorate of Health Canada. licenses, angling regulations, limits of catch,
Since 2005, advisories have been provided open seasons, provincial parks, maps or
separately for the general population and hunting should contact a Ministry of Natural
for the sensitive population of women of Resources office (see page 24) or visit the
child-bearing age and children under 15. Ministry of Natural Resources Web site at
www.mnr.gov.on.ca.
All users of the Guide are advised to read
the Instructions section prior to proceeding In the past, valuable feedback has been
to the consumption tables. This is especially provided by users of the Guide. We continue
important for families with women of to welcome any comments you may have
child-bearing age and children under 15. and invite you to complete a short survey
available online at www.ene.gov.on.ca/
Staff at the Ministry of Natural Resources
fishguide/survey. To obtain detailed data for
and Ministry of the Environment collect the
a specific location tested under the Sport
fish which are then analyzed for a variety
Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program or
of substances, including mercury, PCBs,
for additional information on the results in
mirex, DDT and dioxins, at the Ministry
this and previous Guides, please contact:
of the Environment laboratory in Toronto.
The results are used to develop the advisory Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program
tables in this Guide, which give size-specific Ministry of the Environment
consumption advice for each species tested 125 Resources Road
from each location. Etobicoke, ON M9P 3V6
Telephone: [phone]
The Guide is published every other year.
or 1-800-820-2716
An electronic copy of the Guide is available E-mail: [email protected]
on the Ministry of the Environment website
at www.ontario.ca/fishguide. In alternate
2 Introduction
It is highly recommended that you read the entire Introduction
to the Guide before referring to the advisory tables. Should
you choose not to, please read the following two sections
entitled “Instructions on use of the Guide” and “Summary of
critical information” with page references for more detail.
Instructions on use of the Guide
To determine how much fish you can consume:
• Find the table for the water body where the fish was caught. The Guide tables are divided
into Southern Ontario (south of the French River), Northern Ontario and the Great Lakes.
Length/ 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 >75 cm
Longueur 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 22" 24" 26" 28" 30" >30"
Lake / Lac
Township Canton, County Cté 4537/7942
Northern Pike5 8 4
Brochet5 8 4 0
Walleye2 8 4
Doré2 4 0
Smallmouth Bass5 8 4
Achigan à petite bouche5 4 0
Largemouth Bass5 8 4
Achigan à grande bouche5 4 0
Brown Bullhead5 8
Barbotte brune5 8
General population/population générale
Sensitive population/population sensible – Women of child-bearing age and children
under 15/Les femmes en âge de procréer et les enfants de moins de 15 ans
• Measure the total length of the fish (tip of nose to tip of tail) and refer to the appropriate
length range at the top or bottom of the table.
• The upper row of advice (no shading) is for the general population and the lower
row (grey shading) is for women of child-bearing age and children under 15
(sensitive population).
• The number that appears in the consumption advice box represents the maximum
number of meals of that size fish from that location that can be consumed each month.
The number of meals per month (categories) may be 8, 4, 2, 1, or 0 as indicated.
• Sport fish consumption advice is based on a combination of fish size, species and
location. You may eat fish from different categories and locations as long as you track your
consumption accordingly. Track each fish meal as a fraction or percentage of your total
monthly intake (as shown in the following chart), the sum of which should not exceed
1 (for the fraction) or 100%.
Introduction 3
Category Fraction of Percentage of
(Fish meals monthly monthly
per month) intake total intake total
8 1⁄8 12.5
4 1⁄4 25
2 1⁄2 50
1 1 100
For example:
If you eat:
• Two meals in the four-meal-per-month category, each meal will represent one-quarter or
25% of your maximum monthly allotment for a total of one-half or 50% of your maximum
monthly allotment (2 meals x 1⁄4 = ½ or 50%).
and also eat
• One meal in the two-meal-per-month category, that meal will represent one-half or 50% of
your monthly allotment (1 meal x ½ = ½ or 50%).
The total from these two groups equals one or 100%. Therefore, you would have used your
total monthly allotment.
• Women of child-bearing age and children under 15 should reduce their consumption of
sport fish if they consume commercial fish more than four times per month. As a general
guideline, reduce sport fish consumption by one meal per month for every two meals
of fresh and saltwater store-bought fish. Consumers of shark, swordfish, fresh or frozen
tuna, which contain higher levels of mercury, should not consume sport fish.
• If you have any questions on determining a safe level of consumption, contact the Sport Fish
Contaminant Monitoring Program at 416-327-6816, 1-800-820-2716 or [email protected]
Summary of critical information
• Young children and developing fetuses are affected by contaminants at lower levels than
the general population (page 5).
• The maximum recommended number of meals of sport fish per month is eight (page 7).
Determine exactly what you can consume using the methods described in the
“Instructions on use of the Guide” section (pages 2-3).
• Consumption advice in the tables is based on an average meal size of 227 grams (eight
ounces) for an average size adult weighing 70 kilograms (154 pounds). It is assumed that
smaller individuals will consume a smaller portion and larger individuals will consume a
larger portion.
4 Introduction
• If you are an average size adult and your average meal size is substantially less than 227 grams
(eight ounces), you may consume more meals than recommended. Conversely, if your
meal size is substantially more than 227 grams (eight ounces), you should consume fewer
than the recommended number of meals. Contact the Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring
Program for more specific advice.
• Do not harvest dead or dying fish as they may contain harmful microorganisms or toxins
(pages 13-14).
• Always follow proper food handling and storage techniques, as you would with any fresh
meat product, to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria (pages 13-14).
• Consumption advice is based on the skinless, boneless dorsal fillet (page 15). Do not eat
organs of any fish. Fish organs can be high in both heavy metals and pesticides (page 6).
• Great Lakes salmon and trout are more likely to have high levels of contaminants such
as PCBs and pesticides. Check the consumption tables and consume only the skinless,
boneless dorsal fillet of these fish (page 6). The flesh on the lower portion of the fish
(belly) can have higher levels of PCBs and pesticides.
• At inland locations mercury is the major contaminant. Because mercury is distributed
evenly throughout the fillet, in most cases the full side fillet can be consumed (page 6).
Refer to the consumption tables.
• Top predators, such as walleye and pike, usually have the highest mercury levels. Smaller,
younger fish and fish that are not top predators, such as panfish and yellow perch, are
lower in contaminants. You can reduce your contaminant intake by choosing these fish to
eat (page 11).
• If in doubt, contact the Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program (416-327-6816,
1-800-820-2716 or [email protected]).
• Before going fishing, ensure that it is legal to fish in the area and that you have the
required license (www.mnr.gov.on.ca).
Additional information
An educational brochure for women of child-bearing age is available, either individually or in bulk,
free of charge on the website or by contacting the Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program.
A two page summary of the Guide is available in the languages listed below. Please call or
e-mail the Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program for copies or visit the Web site at
www.ontario.ca/fishguide.
Cambodian Traditional Chinese Cree English Filipino French German
Hungarian Simplified Chinese Japanese Korean Italian Ojibway Polish
Portuguese Russian Spanish Ukrainian Vietnamese
Introduction 5
Important advice Contaminants in Ontario
for women of child- sport fish
bearing age and Ontario is not unique in having consumption
children under 15 restrictions on sport fish. Most jurisdictions in
North America also have them. An extensive
It is important that women of review of consumption restrictions on sport
child-bearing age and children under fish in North America is available on the
15 follow the advice in this Guide. Internet at www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish.
Scientific studies clearly show that
Contaminants found in sport fish originate
developing fetuses and young children
not only from local sources, but some are
are affected by contaminants at lower
transported thousands of kilometres in the
levels than the general population.
atmosphere before being deposited with rainfall.
Women of child-bearing age, including
Mercury, PCBs and toxaphene are a few of the
pregnant women and nursing mothers,
contaminants that are known to be transported
can affect the health of their offspring
long distances and can cause low-level
through a diet elevated in contaminants
contamination even in isolated lakes and rivers.
such as mercury and PCBs.
Women of child-bearing age and
The basis for fish
children under 15 are advised to eat
only those fish in the 8 and 4 meals per consumption advisories
month categories.
Fish consumption advisories are based on
The exact number of meals that guidelines developed by the Food Directorate
can be consumed can be calculated of Health Canada which, through research
by following the directions in the and review of toxicological data, has
“Instructions on use of the Guide” determined safe dosages for an extensive list
section (pages 2-3). of contaminants. This amount is referred to as
These individuals should further a tolerable daily intake. It is then determined
reduce their consumption of sport fish what proportion of the tolerable daily intake
if they regularly consume commercial comes from each of the environmental
fish, including canned fish, (four times pathways such as air, water and different
per month or more often) and should types of food, including sport fish. The safe
not consume sport fish if they are dosage for mercury is lower for the sensitive
regular consumers of shark, swordfish, population of women of child-bearing age and
fresh or frozen tuna. children under 15. For the other contaminants,
the safe dosage is the same for both
As a general guideline, reduce
populations, but as an added precaution, it is
consumption of sport fish by one
advised that the sensitive population consume
meal per month for every two meals
fish only in the 8 and 4 meal per month
of store-bought fish. This does not
categories, as reflected in the consumption
apply to the general population. More
advisory tables.
detailed information is included in the
“Advice for women of child-bearing age A series of estimates and calculations is then
and children” section (see page 7). done by the Ministry of the Environment to
determine if fish are suitable for consumption.
6 Introduction
Fish represented in the eight-meals-per- What part of the fish
month category have very low contaminant
can be safely consumed?
levels. If eight meals per month of these fish
were consumed, an individual’s tolerable Laboratory analyses are carried out
daily intake would not be exceeded for any on the lean, dorsal, skinless, boneless
contaminant. Conversely, fish designated muscle tissue of the fish (as shown on
as zero (0) meals per month have high page 15) and the consumption guidelines
contaminant levels and the consumption are based on the results of this portion.
of any meals of these fish would result in Consuming any other portion may
individuals exceeding their tolerable daily increase exposure to contaminants.
intake for one or more contaminants. Please follow the advice below.
1. Do not eat organs of any fish regardless
Consumption
of location. Organs can be high in
advisory tables both heavy metals and pesticides.
Contaminant levels for all fish of a given size 2. Consume only the skinless, boneless
and species are usually similar within most dorsal fillets of salmon, trout, carp
small or medium sized lakes or rivers which and channel catfish, especially
means that one set of consumption advice is if they are from the Great Lakes.
all that is normally required. In large lakes and Follow the advice in this Guide
major river systems, however, contaminant on how to “Clean and cook fish to
levels can vary widely within the water body. reduce contaminants.” Consumption
advisories on these species in the
Fish consumption advisory tables for the
Great Lakes are usually based on
Great Lakes, connecting waterways, large
PCBs, mirex, toxaphene or dioxins.
lakes and major river systems are provided
Because these contaminants are
in blocks or regions. Contaminant levels for
attracted to fat, the highest
all fish of a given size and species should be
concentration of contaminants is
similar throughout a block. The boundaries
present in the fat deposits under the
of the blocks are established in consultation
skin and in the belly region.
with fisheries biologists familiar with local
3. Do not eat the eggs (roe) of fish,
fish populations after comparing contaminant
especially in spawning salmon
levels in fish from several adjacent locations.
species (e.g. Chinook and coho
If minor differences are found in contaminant salmon), as they may contain higher
levels in fish within a block, the fish with the levels of PCBs and other organic
highest contamination levels are used to set contaminants (for more details
the consumption advisory for that block. refer to the “Fish Eggs” section on
Separate consumption advice is provided page 10).
for localized areas within a block where the
4. You may consume the whole side fillet
fish community or the contaminant levels are
of lean species such as walleye, pike,
different from the remainder of the block.
bass, perch, and panfish from inland
Periodic testing is undertaken at several
locations. Consumption advisories
locations within a block to ensure that there
on these species are based almost
are no major differences in contaminant levels.
exclusively on mercury. Mercury is
Detailed maps and written descriptions of the
uniformly distributed in the fillet and
Great Lakes’ blocks are provided at the front
is not associated with deposits of fat.
of each of the Great Lakes’ tables.