Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Toxic waters and fish?

This is my first post. The site looks great.

I am getting back into fishing. I haven't fished since I was about 14. I am in Northwest Louisiana. I have been reading warnings about mercury, PCB, etc. contamination in our public waters. I am afraid to let my wife or child eat anything I catch.

With that in mind, my question is about pond contamination in East Texas and North Louisiana (or the general vicinity). Since some contamination such as with mercury can be natural, do ponds in my area often suffer from dangerous levels of contamination from toxins?

Finally, in my reading I notice that predator fish like bass are most toxic in contaminated waters and bream are least toxic. So, what about crappie? They are often not mentioned.

Thanks

Your state should have a list of waters contaminated and at what levels. They should also have a guide to how much you can eat per week. Even seafood has contaminents. Pregnent women and children should eat less etc.

Yes, some mercury is natural but we are getting a lot of mercury as fallout from coal fired plants and other fossil fuels.

As far as what fish are most contaminated it has to do with how far they are up in the food chain (build up cantaminents in their tissue from eating other fish) ,or how old they are (longer build up), how much fatty tissue (mercury tends to build up more in fatty tissue), or what they eat. Older fish have more contaminents and fish such as carp that feed off the bottom may also have more contaminents.

Don't let it scare you as you can till eat fish just not all the time.

I just have some words of worry to add to an already worried mind.There are alot more things in the pond to consider when going on your family outings.One of the things that will cause more harm is a new breed of algae that has popped up it is very toxic and is already established in southern states and last I kwew as far north as parts of mi.these are diferent types of algae.There microscopic to the human eye but can reproduce at alarming rate.If this type is not caught in early stages it will spead through out a body of water in a matter of days.Here in Indiana they have shut down some of the state lakes to avoid people from consuming it and becoming really sick.I dont have my info on it with me but im sure that somebody on this forum will gladly post it if not I will as soon as I get a chance.I am not trying to talk you out of getting back into fishing or enjoying the great outdoors I just want you to be aware of what you might look for and take steps to avoid getting yourself or your family in harms way.It can be recognized like any other algae bloom except it sometimes has a brown tint and it will be spread throughout the whole body of water not just the top layer this stuff mixes top to bottom.I will try to get back soon with more info.If any body else has it please feel free to share it. gotta go for now Doc.

Lakedoctor:

Is this something we pondmeisters should be concerned about from the south to the extreme north. Does it winter well through ice and cold? Thanks for the info.....

Rowly

LIke Cecil said most states list waters in a fish consumption advisory.

My professor used give a talk on the subject. He mentioned a lady that laid by the pool everday with no sunscreen, drinking heavily, smoking like a somke stack, but when asked if she is going to eat a fish out of water that said to consume no more than one meal per week "SAID NO WAY IN HELL IS SHE GOING TO EAT ANY FISH OUT OF THAT WATER!" Get my point there is usually more risk with other events than harm in a few meals with fish having heavy metal if only occasionally eating a few fish.

The fatty tish, bloodline etc is the most toxic section, cut it out and most of what little maybe present is gone anyway. Your DNR or Fishereis personnel should by able to answer specfic question about an area in TX.

Hello again to respond to Rowly.Yes it really is this stuff is known to cause liver damage along with other problems It gets in the digestive track.It will afect the young,and old alike.I dont have the proper name for it right now but try to post it later.If your from In.you herd about the fish kill at eagle creek they shut it down to try to treat this monster and went a little heavy on the copper lost thousands of fish.The state has guide lines on how much can be in any certain body of water.But I dont think they have all the facts about what is really acceptable as far as health concerns.The good news is it can be controlled like regular algae.I do weed control and have delt with this in the past.Well better get going lots to do. Doc

Ed,

there are labs that can test fish tissue if you are concerned about contamination. YOu may start with testing pond water and soil through your state agnecy. If any red flags show up in these tests you may consider testing the tissue. Make no mistake tissue tests are expensive. I would not be overly concerned, I usually dont see severe contamination unless there is some type of industrial waste water discharge (paper mill, waste water treatment, etc)

Crappie feed all over the food chain so I would expect their tissue (if the environment is contaminated) would show up "hot". I have read some studies that theorize crappie can even feed on plankton when there is a lack of food. I'm a pond consultant in Georgia and to make things simple. Dont stock crappie in your pond, trust me.

Shan O'Gorman
Professional Ponds

So far, I have never come across contaminated fish in private waters. Healthy ponds have healthy signs. Here's a few.
1) Water flows through, from time to time.
2) There's a balance between plants, fish, invertebrates, soils, and the biology of all these creatures.
3) The fishery is dynamic. Big fish eat little fish, which eat tiny fish and insects, which eat smaller insects and plankton, which eats nutrients dissolved in the water.
4) If contamination is a concern, it will be regional, not local. That means other waters, especially public waters, will have signs of contamination. Check with local health authorities and water districts to check it out. They are required to periodically check water for toxins and heavy metals.

Regarding the algae concerns, I'll paste this excerpt from a recent article:
"Golden Algae or Prymnesium parvum is a naturally occurring alga most prevalent in salt water and is similar in nature to "red tide." It acquired its name from its golden-brown pigment, similar to the color of dark tea.
During a bloom, golden algae secretes a highly potent neurotoxin that is deadly to gill-breathing fish species. This toxin inhibits ion and gas exchange - basically causing fish to suffocate. The algae are not toxic to humans.
The algae were first officially reported in Texas in the 1960's, although it's suspected to have existed in Texas lakes and rivers long before this date. Fish kills have been identified at Possum Kingdom and Lake Granbury as early as the 1980's. The most recent bloom occurred in both lakes in 2001 killing an estimated 200,000 fish."
KD

Hello thanks for the reply about the algae but thats not it the stuff that I was talking about is not toxic to fish unless it is treated to much at one time like regular algae the stuff I was talking about is toxic to people and just about all warm blooded animals.It has to be consumed or enter the blood stream through open sores It was first discovered in the south american countries then started heading north this strain of algea is not but two to three years since it was detected in the usa.It has spread through as far north as mich. and is adapting to the cold with no problem I dont have my notes on it right now but am going to be gathering some info and posting at later date.THe studys that have been done at Purdue so far have shown that it can be controled by copper but spreads in bloom at much higher rates than normal. Sorry I don,t have the name right now its one of those I couldn,t spell in a full page ad but will get the info posted as soon as I can. got to go now that red head says breakfast is ready Doc

Bob,

good post. I used the term usually when I should have said never. I have never seen any contaminated fish tissue in private water either. About 2 years ago I was on a testing crew. We tested fish tissue behind all the paper mills in south Georgia. NO PCB contaminated fish were found. No PCB's were found in any of the samples (water, fish or soil)

Anybody out there ever found a contaminated fish in private water?

Shan O'Gorman
Pro Ponds