Shem Creek - A seafood-lover's paradise!

2009 Fish Advisory Locations for S.C. All locations are for mercury unless otherwise noted.
Credit: SCDHEC

South Carolinians who enjoy fishing can go online now to see if the fish on their line is safe to eat or should be released because of possible contamination, the DHEC reported today.

“DHEC’s Web site at www.scdhec.gov/fish has a state map with the latest advisories, information, a booklet and other materials that can be downloaded,” said David Wilson, chief of DHEC’s Bureau of Water. “This information will help our citizens determine whether to keep and eat the fish they catch in South Carolina waters or release them back into the water.”

Wilson said that pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, infants and children should not eat any fish with a mercury advisory. These high risk groups are also advised not to eat any king mackerel, shark, swordfish, or tilefish. Infants and children are particularly sensitive to the effects of mercury since their nervous systems are still forming.

“People can still safely eat fish taken from the state’s waters if they follow the fish consumption advisory guidelines. These guidelines tell you the types and amounts of fish that are safe to eat from waters in South Carolina.” – David Wilson.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet for everyone, including women and children. Fish and shellfish contain protein and nutrients, are low in saturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Each advisory is based on one meal (or 8 oz.) of uncooked fish, which is about the size of two decks of cards. Advice is given for a specific species of fish within a water body. The contamination is in the fish and does not make the water unsafe for recreational or drinking uses.

More than 60,000 copies of the consumption advisory booklets have been printed and can be obtained from local public health departments, DHEC Environmental Quality Control regional offices, S.C. Department of Natural Resources district offices, Sportsman’s Warehouse in Columbia, Bass Pro Shop in Myrtle Beach, OB/GYN offices, health clinics, many state parks or by ordering a copy online at www.scdhec.gov/fish. For additional questions or concerns about fish consumption advisories, call DHEC’s Fish Advisory Hotline at 1-888-849-7241 toll-free.

Advisories still exist on fish from some water bodies because of contaminants other than mercury:

• * An advisory on Lake Hartwell and associated waters continues because of contamination from polychlorinated biphenyls. No fish of any species should be eaten from the Seneca River arm of Lake Hartwell or 12 Mile Creek.
• * Largemouth bass and channel catfish in the rest of Lake Hartwell should be limited to one meal a month. No hybrid bass or striped bass should be eaten from any part of the lake. Georgia’s advisory on the Tugaloo arm of Lake Hartwell remains in effect.
• * Some fish from parts of the Savannah River also contain cesium-137 and strontium-90. If consumers follow the mercury advisory guidelines, their health will be protected.

Pouring liquid mercury
Credit: Wikipedia

The Supreme Court “chose not to review a major test case on the federal government’s authority to regulate mercury pollution from electric power plants.

The Court had two appeals testing a Circuit Court ruling on that issue, but one of those was by the EPA, and that agency asked the Court to dismiss its petition after the new Obama Administration changed policy. (That petition was dismissed on Monday.) That left on the docket a utility petition, Utility Air Regulatory Group v. New Jersey, et al. (08-352).

On Monday, the Court denied that petition without comment.

What that means for you and me is that the mercury plan under Bush and his cronies has finally been shot down! President Obama and his administration will be drafting new legislation on this matter going forward, and that negates any cap-and-trade agreements industries were hoping for – meaning no hot-spots for you and me (besides what’s already out their of course)!