This is no joke or April Fool’s Day prank. It’s very real.
By Andrew Siff •
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After 50 years, New York fisherman have been giving approval to eat what they catch from the Hudson River in the New York City area. So what should anglers know before they take the bait? NBC New York’s Andrew Siff reports.
The New York State Department of Health on Thursday shared updated guidance on eating fish you catch, and it includes a major change for the Hudson River.
For the first time in 50 years, the department says everyone can now eat “some fish” from the Lower Hudson River — that covers Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill to the southern tip of Manhattan.
“For the first time in 50 years, everyone in the family can now eat some fish from the Lower Hudson River,” said Audrey Van Genechten, one of the state health department’s top fish experts.
What’s the reason for the change? Lower levels of toxic chemicals known as PCBs, which is shorthand for polychlorinated byphenyls.
“PCB levels in some of the fish had gone down enough that we are now able to allow families — even younger women and children — to eat some of the fish,” Van Genechten said.
The general population can now eat up to four seafood meals a month from the lower portion of the Hudson River. The state also said anglers should stick to the striped bass; health officials do not recommend eating the carp or smallmouth bass.
For some, the thought of eating anything that came from the Hudson River is enough to get chills. Just hearing about fish in the Hudson can immediately trigger images of the three-eye fish from “The Simpsons.”
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Health officials urge that is not the case, but do have an extra step that could provide even more preventative measures.
“If you remove the skin and fat, you can get rid of 50% of the PCBs that are left,” Van Genechten said.
