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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
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OP
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5 |
We have a small lake in Central Texas and regularly keep and eat large mouth bass to control the population. We're starting to wonder if we should limit our consumption.
How can we go about getting the meat tested to see if its safe to eat and in what quantity? We're near Austin, Texas.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352 |
If you’re concerned about a possible concentration of toxins within the fish, perhaps a comprehensive analysis of the pond’s water would provide some answers. For a fee, Texas A&M offers water testing for the general public, and is probably your best option for a comprehensive analysis………Heck, they would probably analyze a fish as well, but that would most likely cost you a small fortune…….. Good luck!
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352 |
Follow up: Out of curiosity I just visited the A&M website, and I'm surprised to learn that their lab does NOT test water or soil samples for pesticides or petrochemicals……… That leaves me wondering why an agriculture college wouldn't do so.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289 |
Scientists do tests for reasonable risks rather than for risks perceived to be significant by non experts based on web browsing.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72
Hall of Fame 2014
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Hall of Fame 2014
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,800 Likes: 72 |
gully....i would think a call to these folks in Denton, Texas might be worth seeing if they could point you in the right direction. It appears their tests are geared towards city water and well water, but they may know of something that could help you. What do you have to lose but a phone call. "This is a valuable option that you should consider if your water comes from a lake or pond or from a well in an agricultural region"https://www.purewaterproducts.com/products/wt004
Fishing has never been about the fish....
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1 |
A call to your local health dept should provide you with contacts for the testing, if they don't already provide the service (mine does). What is your specific concern?
Last edited by Bill D.; 05/17/18 09:08 PM.
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352 |
gully....i would think a call to these folks in Denton, Texas might be worth seeing if they could point you in the right direction. It appears their tests are geared towards city water and well water, but they may know of something that could help you. What do you have to lose but a phone call. "This is a valuable option that you should consider if your water comes from a lake or pond or from a well in an agricultural region"https://www.purewaterproducts.com/products/wt004 Thanks Zep, that looks to be a really comprehensive test for a reasonable price.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 352 |
A call to your local health dept should provide you with contacts for the testing, if they don't already provide the service (mine does). What is your specific concern? Good suggestion, Bill, but I suspect the only people testing liquids in my little podunk county are the probation officers. lol
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,429 Likes: 20 |
I wouldn't worry too much about it unless there is known industrial or heavy agricultural pollution in your watershed.
If it causes you to lose sleep, don't eat the fish.
Older, larger, bass tend to have more contamination than small, young, ones, to my understanding.
Mostly, the publicly posted cautions I have seen pertain only to children under twelve, and pregnant women.
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
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OP
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 5 |
My specific concern is I have a pregnant wife and young kids.
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 887 Likes: 3
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 887 Likes: 3 |
You worry too much. It's fine, go fry some fish.
1.8 acre pond with CNBG, RES, HSB, and LMB Trophy Hunter feeder.
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 103 Likes: 9
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 103 Likes: 9 |
Younger fish are better eating and will not have as many built up toxins or heavy metals. If your really concerned keep the big bass for catching and eat the smaller ones. Unless you right next to a fertilize dump you should be fine with the young fish.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4 |
Scientists do tests for reasonable risks rather than for risks perceived to be significant by non experts based on web browsing. We also specifically don’t do them when we think the results might be used in some sort of legal dispute that we don’t want to be involved in...
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289 |
The tests are not optional, and are designed by experts in safety and health. There is a lot of misinformation on the web in all areas. Use Google Scholar to do your web searching and most of that misinformation is filtered out.
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