Table Of ContentGUIDE
TO EATRC
FISH
Ministry Ministry of
of the Natural
Environment Resources
Ontario
__________________________________________ ________
F9cauc note that rncertttln locationa consumption advice may ho siven ronnme up.tclea,orapeclea
at lengths which are not legal to possess under the Ontario Fishery Regulations. Anglers should I
check the "199! Summary of Ontario Sport Fishing Regulations to ensure that the particular
I waterhody is open to fishing or that all lish wInch are kept are legal to possess. '[he summary ts I
available from: the Ministry of Natuntl Resources. Public lnfot'mation Centre ( Whitney Block,
room lh4tl, 99 Wellesley St.West, Toronto, Ontario. M7A lW3). the local officeofthe Ministry
of Natural Resources, and from fishing licence issuers.
a
Consumption guidelines for fish caught by anglers
cm
on
Long-tsrm N 0 restrictions 0 2 kgP,nk 0.1 kg/wk. or 2 meals per None
consurrption 10.5 lb iak4 (0.3 lbjwkj month
U.S kg/mo
lb./mo)
— 11
One-week No restrictions 10 meals 7 meals I 012 meals None
2.3 kg I 5kg 0.5 kg
(5 tbj 3 lb.l (1 tb4
Tmo'wask No restrLctiona S meals per wa 4 meats per ek 1 or 2 meats lwts None
vacation 1.3 kg/wk 0.8 kgfwk 0.5 kg/wk.
(28 lb /wk I 11.9 lb /wk (I lbiwk.(
hree-week N 4 meats per ark. 3 meats per wk 1 or 2 meats /wk None
ar,cat'o,i t kgiwk 0 6 kg/wk 0.5 kg/wk.
12.1 lbiwk.l 11.4 lb/wk( E1 lbiwk(
Children under 15 and women of childbearing age should eat only fish in category.
ilnants analysed
T .me out ibet mdenh lies [he contaminant
or group tst con tan t tn ants for wh 'cli
the fish v 'as testeo
rv eteurv
Mercury, PCB5, mires and pesticides
3 PCbs mu 'cx aLto pestictues
4 Mercary, PCI s nd mtrex
5 victeat y other netals. PCBs, rn rew
amid pest" mdcv
6 MeLury. the metals
' iS-to.. J(doxtu
8 Mercury, F( :n s. mtrex, pee tt ci des,
chlori lateca pnenols and chlorinated Octltcnen
9 'olynuclcar aromatic hydmcarhons 'At-I's
Key to using the guide tables on page 2.
Locatton naex uit page i52.
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ServiceOntario Publications at
Guide to
Eating Ontario
Sport Fish
1991
Fifteenth Edition, Revised
O Ministry Ministry of
of the Natural
Environment Resources
Ontario
1991, Queen's Printer for Ontario
this book may be reproduced for non-commercial
purposes with appropriate attribution.
[SSN 0826-9653
590B
limited number of bopies of this book are
svailable from:
Public Information Centre
anvironment Ontario
135 St. Clair Ave. West
toronto, Ontario M4V 1 P5
free of charge
IMPRIMESUR
DU PAPIRRRECYCLE
'H
Contents
Preface
Key to using the guide tables 2
The sport fish contaminant monitoring program 4
Selection of locations for testing 4
Selection of fish species for testing 4
Collection of fish for testing 5
Retesting of locations 5
Testing of fish 5
Preserving and preparing your fish for cooking 6
How to release fish 6
Parasites of fish 6
Tumors in fish 7
Contaminants in fish 8
Inorganic substances 8
Industrial organics 8
Pesticides 9
New substances 9
Trends in contaminant levels 10
Southern Ontario tables 14
Northern Ontario tables 56
Great Lakes tables 122
Location index 152
Fish identification 156
Fish names 164
Addresses 166
Consumption guidelines Inside cover
Preface To report occurrences of pollution or
fish kills, contact the nearest office of the
The Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish Ministry of the Environment listed in the
provides anglers and consumers with up- Addresses section of this book.
to-date information on recommended Anyone requiring information on
levels of consumption of sport and game angling regulations, limits of catch or open
fish from lakes and rivers throughout seasons should obtain a copy of the
Ontario and many locations on the Great publication Ontario Sport Fishing
Lakes and their connecting channels. Regulations which is available from any
The guide is revised annually and is the office of the Ministry of Natural
product of the combined efforts of Resources listed in the Addresses section.
technicians, analysts, scientists and To obtain detailed data for a specific
medical specialists of the Ontario Ministry location tested under the sport fish
of the Environment, Ministry of Natural contaminant monitoring program or
Resources and Ministry of Labour. further information on the results in this
l'his 15th edition of the guide prov ides and previous guides, contact:
fish consumption advice for over 1600
locations across the province and contains Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring
the best available information up to the end Program
of February 1991. An index to locations is Water Resources Branch
provided at the back of the tables. Ministry of the Environment
Fish axe collected by staff of the 4th Floor, I St. Clair Avenue West
Ministry of Natural Resources and ate then Toronto, Ontario M4V 1K6
sent to Ministry of the Environment Telephone: (416)323-4994
laboratories where they axe analysed for a
variety of substances including mercury,
PCBs, mirex and DDT. The results are
used to develop the tables published in this
guide which give size-specific
consumption advice for each species tested
from each location. The consumption
advice is based on federal government
health protection guidelines.
Fish collection and testing is a
continuing program. Available resources
axe balanced between testing new lakes
and rivers and retesting those locations
where changes in contaminant levels may
be occurring. By testing the same fish
species at the same location over a period
of many years, scientists can determine
trends in the levels of certain contaminants
in those species. In some cases the data can
be used to pinpoint sources of pollution so
that action can be taken to control these
discharges.
____
Key to using the contaminants are attracted to fatty tissue.lt is
therefore recommended that only skinless,
guide tables
boneless fillets of these fish be consumed.
The water body names and locations
The guide tables provide sport fish were obtained from the Gazeneer of Canada
consumption advice based on the level of (Ontario). The location description includes
contaminants found in fish according to latitude and longitude, enabling anglers to
their species, length and location. use the Ontario Official Road Map (which
Please note that laboratory analyses are has latitudes and longitudes in the margin)
carried out on the lean, dorsal, skinless, to determine the general location of the
boneless muscle tissue of the fish and the body of water; larger scale topographical
consumption guidelines are based on the maps can then be used to pinpoint the
results from this portion. Other parts of the location. An alphabetical listing of all
fish - the whole fish, fish steaks or belly fat locations tested is contained in the index.
- may contain higher concentrations of The following is a key to the various
organic contaminants such as PCB's, components of the tables, using a simulated
mirex, DDT or 2.3,7,8 - TCDD as these example called Deep Lake.
Northern Onlano/Nord pie lOnlarso 137
a,
w—S— 4. 16S620) I2, 025%6) 2560-3 102 1 1312-23'5• ) a3764-)4251 )14a 5S--5f6l) s53654264 ) 26 30! .1.73501
Deep Lake - Wafleye1
TLaacA Dl*e9e,pC .m4. OLaakee 'I ns' A 4 4 4
4 a -
P [ifI )
Location identifiers from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.
The tables are divided into three The fish length is expressed in the tables in
both centimetres and, in brackets, inches.
sections by region: Southern Ontario,
Contaminants analysed
I Northern Ontario and the Great Lakes.
as noted at the top of each page. The number identifies the contaminant
The name of the location sampled or group of contaminants for which
CD The latitude and longitude of the the fish was tested:
location I Mercury
CD The township, county or territorial 2 Mercury, PCBs, mirex and pesticides
district of the location 3 PCBs, mirex and pesticides
4 Mercury, PCBs and mirex
Fish species tested
5 Mercury, other metals, PCBs, mirex
CD The species tested are usually those and pesticides
species that are most likely to indicate 6 Mercury, other metals
elevated levels of contaminants (see 7 2,3,7,8-TCDD (dioxin)
the section entitled Selection of fish 8 Mercury, PCB's, mirex, pesticides,
species for testing). chiotinated phenols and chiccinated benzenes
I
Fish length 9 Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
The total length of the fish is measured,
3
The fact that fish were tested for a iL Consumption of these fish is
particular group of contaminants does not restricted, based on the
mean that the fish will contain all of these presence of one or more
contaminants - for example, fish analysed industrial organic contamin-
for contaminant group 4 may contain only ants, such as PCBs or mires,
mercury and not PCBs or mirex. at levels above federal
In a number of locations, fish are S guidelines.
analysed only for mercury as this is likely No consumption
to be the only contaminant to cause None of these fish should be
consumption restrictions. consumed, based on mercury
Fish consumption symbols levels above 1.5- parts-per-
million.
Unrestricted consumption
C)cl This is the only category of fish Consumption guidelines
that is suitable for consumption The table below presents the maximum
by women of childbearing age recommended consumption of Ontario
(pregnant women, women sport fish according to their contaminant
intending to become pregnant content and frequency of consumption.
or breastfeeding mothers) and Many anglers in Ontario catch and
children under 15. No sub- consume fish throughout the year: these
stances tested were found at people are considered to be long-term
levels which would cause fish consumers and should consult the long-
consumption to be restricted. term consumption category on the table
Restricted consumption below. However, some anglers only catch
and consume fish on an annual fishing
Ef) Consumption of these fish is vacation: these people should select the
restricted, based on mercury appropriate one-week, two-week or three-
levels between 0.5 and 1.0 week category.
parts per million. The maximum consumption quantities
4J1* Consumption of these fish is are given in number of meals and total
further restricted, based on weight per week. A meal consists of 230 g
mercury levels between 1.0 (0.5 lb.). Please note that women of
and 1.5 parts per million. childbearing age and children under 15
should only eat fish in the category.
5
=0
Consumption guidelines for fish caught by anglers
(11*
Long-term No restrictions 0.2 k9h. 01 kg/vAr. I or 2 meals per None
consumption (0.5 tMlc.( tO.3 Ib.Nik.) month
0.5 kg/nio.
(1 lb/mO.)
One-week No restrictions 10 meals 7 meals I or 2 meals None
vacation 2.3kg 1.5kg 0.5kg
(5 lb.) (3 lb.) (I t.)
Two-week No restrictions 5 meals per Wi. 4 meals per Wi. I or2 meals talc. None
vacation '.3 kg/Wi. 0.8 kg/ak. 0.5 kg/alt
(2.8 lb/alt) (1.9 t.Mli.( (I b/eli.)
Three-week No restrictions 4 meals per at. 3 meals per eli. I or 2 meals/ak. None
vacation I kg/etc. 0,6 kg/vAr. 0.5 kg/etc.
(2.1 b./wk.( (l.4 lb/alt) (I lb.twlt(
Example: It is being opened for recreational
An angler on a three-week fishing vacation development.
catches a 40-cm (16-inch) walteye from It is part of a monitoring progm for
Deep Lake and wants to determine the long-tam studies of contaminants in fish.
suitability of that fish for consumption. The selection of testing sites is an ongoing
The angler should: process and pubhc input is welcomed.
• Find Deep Lake in the guide tables: Selection of fish species for testing
FESsi$ cS.ps oSe sp 0550q' a .?kX5 ) Mfisohs ts plaekceiess .a Wndh reivne rsse lceocntintagin a ap pvraorpieritayt eo f
roil .0, species for contaminant testing, the fact
that not all species accumulate a particular
• NioSte that the symbol given for walleye in contaminant at the same rate has to be
the 35- to 45-cm (14- to 18-in.) range taken into account.
Therefore, one kind of fish of a certain
• As the symbol is not the angler size may have a much tower contaminant
knows immediately that the fish is not concentration than another species of the
suitable for consumption by women of same size. This is due to the fact that
different fish feed on different things,
childbearing age and children under IS.
• If the consumer is not a woman of prefer different habitats, grow at different
rates and are physiologically different.
childbearing age or a child under 15.
For example, walleye (yellow pickerel)
consult the three-week per year category
and northern pike are likely to contain
in the consumption guidelines table on
higher levels of mercury than whitefish of
the inside front cover. This shows that
the same size since walteye and pike are
the recommended maximum consumption
top predators, feeding on smaller fish
is four meats, or one kilogram, per week, which may also contain elevated mercury
The sport fish
tevels.
contaminant monitoring Whitefish, on the other hand, feed lower
down in the food chain, on aquatic insects
program
and invertebrates which contain less
Selection of locations for testing mercury than do small fish.
Therefore, when testing fish for
With over 250,000 lakes, innumerable mercury in a specific area, the practice is
flyers and streams and many local areas in initially to select those species which are
the Great Lakes, it would not be practical top predators, as they will indicate the
or economical to test fish from every highest mercury levels likely to be found.
water body. If low levels of mercury are found in
A location may be selected for testing predators, the testing of other species may
for one or more of the following reasons: not be necessary.
• It is a popular angling area. In testing for organic contaminants such
• There is a known or suspected source of as PCBs and mirex. species with high fat
pollution nearby. levels, such as salmon, take trout, smelt
• It is a major source of food for local and perch, are selected since organic
inhabitants (usually lakes in the vicinity chemicals usually tend to accumulate in
of Indian reserves). fatty tissue.
