For the first time in about 50 years, New York State health officials say families can eat some fish caught in the lower Hudson River, a change driven by declining levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. The updated advice covers the river from the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill to the Battery in New York City. “It’s a great day when the Department can relax guidance for certain fish in the lower Hudson River,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said.
The new guidance is still limited and depends on who is eating the fish. The state says the general population can have up to four meals per month of certain fish. People considered more sensitive, including children under 15 and people who can become pregnant, should follow stricter limits.
Audrey Van Genechten, a senior fish advisory expert with the state health department, said testing showed “PCB levels in some of the fish had gone down enough” to allow limited meals for groups who previously had been told not to eat any Hudson River fish.
Officials stressed that the cleanup story is not uniform, and some fish from the lower Hudson are still not recommended. The state continues to advise against eating carp and smallmouth bass from the lower Hudson because they tend to carry higher PCB levels.
Van Genechten urged careful preparation because PCBs concentrate in fat. “If you remove the skin and fat, you can get rid of 50% of the PCBs that are left,” she said.
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