Striped bass advisory

In response to the confiscated striped bass article by Walter Griffin in the June 16 Bangor Daily News, I would like to offer praise to the Marine Patrol for enforcing the size and bag limits on striped bass. Limits on striped bass have allowed Maine’s bass fishery to flourish in recent years, after a near collapse due to overfishing in the 1970s.

Unfortunately, these fish should not have been donated to a soup kitchen where the clientele may not be informed about the contamination they may contain. The Marine Patrol, apparently, is not aware the Maine Bureau of Health had issued a consumption advisory for striped bass.

According to state health officials, pregnant women, nursing mothers, women who may become pregnant and children less than 8 years old should limit consumption of striped bass to one meal a month. All others should limit consumption to two to three meals a month, with the lower limit applying to larger fish.

Striped bass may be contaminated with PCBs, dioxins or mercury. PCBs and dioxins cause cancer and birth defects and mercury can cause nervous system disorders. Because striped bass are migratory and winter in areas such as the Hudson River and Chesapeake Bay, it is feasible to catch a fish in what are thought to be clean rivers and they may still be contaminated.

For more information on fish consumption advisories in Maine, contact the Maine Toxics Action Coalition (800-287-2345) or the Maine Bureau of Health (287-6455). Jeff McEvoy Natural Resources Council of Maine Augusta