You can get the health benefits of fish and reduce unwanted contaminants by following this advisory. Since Fish species differ in diet, habitat, growth rate, and physiology, fish accumulate contaminants at different rates. Long-term effects of human exposure to PCBs and pesticides have not been fully determined by health experts. Because contaminants may produce harmful effects when consumed over a period of time, the ISDH advises that limited amounts of these fish be consumed. Once in a lake, mercury is converted to methylmercury by bacteria and other processes.
Fish absorb methylmercury from their food and from water as it passes over the gills.
Mercury is tightly bound to proteins in all fish tissue, including muscle. There is no method of cooking or cleaning fish which will reduce the amount of mercury in a meal. Fish absorb PCBs from water, suspended sediments, and food. PCBs concentrate in the fat of fish and in fatty fish such as carp and catfish. Cleaning and cooking a fish to remove fat will lower the amount of PCBs in a fish meal.