Watson Bay and dioxide level?

[Billy198209]

Hi guys, last Saturday I spent just about 3 hours in Watson bay and caught 6 big trevally and some decent sized tailors. This was the first time I fished there but there was a sign in front that wrote; any fish caught from West of the Harbour bridge shouldn't be eaten and any fish caught from East of the Harbour bridge should only be consumed 150g per month because of high dioxide level in the Harbour.  

I was a bit worried and didn't dare to eat the nice chubby trevally and tailors yet. Any thought on this guys? Is it safe to eat fish from Watson bay area? 

[papafish]

that might be a old sign. but i know alot of people catch fish from watson bay and takes it home to eat. no problem

 

[Day's Fishin]

Their has been warnings about different parts of the harbour for years. Same as blue algae  signs for parts of the Hawkesbury.

Warnings about fish caught around Nth Bondi outlet. I have been eating fish from all these areas for over 50 years and no sickness or effect. 

Trevally and tailor do not stay in one spot so the ones you caught may have been anywhere 10 minutes before you caught them.

A king you catch outside the heads may have been in the harbour for weeks before you catch it.

Jeff

[blackfish angler]

6 hours ago, papafish said:

that might be a old sign. but i know alot of people catch fish from watson bay and takes it home to eat. no problem

 

Every wharf i fish have the signs on them but i know of people who eat the fish from there for years and still continue to eat the fish Eating fish 2 times a week is fine would not eat them every day but .

[Billy198209]

Thanks for replying, everyone. I got the picture. Much appreciated. 

[Couta]

The DPI recommends that for fish caught east of the harbour bridge, the recommended maximum consumption is five 150gm serves of trevally a month and one 150gm serve of tailor per month. The reason for the lower consumption level for tailor is that they are predatory fish that eat other fish and therefore accumulate dioxins that might be in the fish they eat. Dioxins are very dangerous and carcinogenic. Most of the doixins came from the old Union Carbide factory at Homebush. That's where they made agent orange - a lot of it ended up in the harbour (agent orange is the chemical they used to defoliate the jungles of Vietnam during the Vietnam war). That's why the DPI says you should not eat fish caught west of the harbour bridge. However you don't know where the fish have been or have been feeding - they might have just come in from the ocean and are completely free of dioxin, or they might have been born in the upper reaches of the Paramatta River, lived there all their lives and are now on their way out of the harbour. 

[jeffb5.8]

As above and when the developers moved into Rhodes the run of was monitored and further studies were conducted and that's when the rules about West of Gladesvillle Bridge was changed to West of the Harbour Bridge.

Levels in bays close to the Harbour bridge are 168 or similar times higher than the safe level.

Homebush bay is even higher

[Billy198209]

The whole purpose of fishing is for fun, way of relaxing. I don't particularly like eating fish anyway. Lots of times just gave all away fish which I caught to my neighbours and friends.  Be safe than sorry, will not eat fish from bays near the Harbour, include at Watson bay. Thanks Jeff and John.