EXPERT: DAYTON RIVER FISH SAFE
Fishing is already fairly popular along Dayton’s rivers, and plans to redevelop the riverfronts are expected to boost fishing opportunities in the region.
But, according to some local experts, a question that often arises is whether the fish in the river are safe to eat. The question was recently raised by multiple members of the downtown priority board during a meeting with Five Rivers MetroParks staff.
Generally, fish are safe to eat, said Five Rivers MetroParks biologist Grace Dietsch.
But, she said, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency recommends not eating catfish and other bottom feeders more than once a month.
Dietsch also encourages people to take the same precaution with all larger, older fish.
There are general guidelines people should follow and some specific guidelines on certain fish species, depending on which stretch of which river they are found, said Chris Pion, MetroParks director of parks and conservation.
The Ohio EPA advises people against eating all sucker fish in a large section of the Great Miami River.
The section stretches from the rocky whitewater structure near Monument Avenue in downtown Dayton to the mouth of the Ohio River, west of Cincinnati.
The agency warns that sucker fish may contain PCBs, which are highly toxic industrial compounds. Sucker fish tend to resemble large Minnows.
Also, people are warned against eating yellow perch or sunfish more than twice a week, the Ohio EPA says.
Generally, people should avoid eating bottom-eating fish because they are in contact with the sediment around larger cities, said Kipp Brown, a fisheries biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
On Wednesday, Brown and other staff with Division of Wildlife caught about 15 species of fish near the intersection of the Stillwater and Great Miami rivers. It was part of an educational presentation for students with the University of Dayton Rivers Institute.
Brown said none of the fish they caught would cause concern if eaten.
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“The catfish all looked healthy, and even the carp, bass and bluegills” did too, he said. “It’s usually about meals per week, meals per month, and if you stay within those requirements, you’re safe.” But people also need a fishing license to fish in state waters, and they must comply with other regulations, such as bass must be at least 12 inches long to keep, he said.
“Smaller than that, you can catch it, you just have to put it back,” he said. Contact this reporter at Cornelius.Frolik@coxinc.com.