There are no advisories for most of the 5,000 lakes, ponds, reservoirs and rivers in Massachusetts. In Maine, the only posting is done by the private Maine Toxics Action Coalition. New Hampshire does very little posting. At one time, according to toxicologist Dreisig, there were signs along the Androscoggin in the Berlin area, and Horseshoe Pond in Merrimack was posted, warning largemouth bass taken there should not be eaten. New Hampshire recommends everyone avoid eating bluefish larger than 4 pounds and that smaller bluefish be properly cooked.
Maine allows one meal of bluefish per month.
The states advise everyone against eating large amounts of tomalley because the contaminants eaten by the lobster concentrate there. He slices the bony matter, gently sands the sliver and counts the rings there that tell the age of the fish. The students work with Michael L. Morrison, who teaches ecology and biology at Monadnock Regional High School in East Swanzey. The fish are weighed, their age rings counted, their flesh pulverize in the state health laboratory to determine the amount mercury they carry. The quest is to identify the sources of the poisonous metal that shows up even in fish samples taken from some of the 800 lakes, ponds and streams in New Hampshire that are seemingly the most remote and pristine.