Massachusetts Aquaculture White Paper - Fish Consumption/Public Health and Safety

Because of the chemical contamination of many of our important commercial and recreational fisheries, private aquaculture is playing a larger role in providing safe, clean, fresh fish for the public. In recent years, there has been significant media attention regarding contaminants in fish, particularly mercury and PCB's, in both freshwater and saltwater fish. The Department of Public Health has numerous fish consumption advisories out for both freshwater and saltwater fish species. These advisories, however, do not apply to fish cultured in hatcheries and stocked for recreational fishing or to fish produced in private aquaculture facilities. Fish cultured in hatcheries and private farms come from clean water sources and do not bioaccumulate contaminants during the short time they are being grown out to market or stocking size.

There are numerous other public health and safety issues, however, that do relate to private aquaculture relative to fish processing and handling for food consumption. The Department of Public Health should be consulted directly on this matter.

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Published: September 1995