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nimrod777

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Fish consumption warnings for the Chickamauga Dam area. I read em, and whilst I am anything but an alarmist, I cannot say they do not have me thinking twice about just how many times I'm gonna fry up some fine catfish fillets, or try out my 5 spots, etc. Is there something I should know? Have you all reached an agreement to share funeral expenses? Is there a group health policy for active CFF members? Does tartar sauce actually remove toxins, or merely smother their harmful effects?

emoScratch
 
BTW, please observe the 10-teeth minimum limit for any respondents recommending that all such warnings be ignored as government propaganda.
 
The only restrictions are on catfish BELOW Chickamauga Dam. They say no children, pregnant women or nursing mothers and one meal of catfish per month of catfish. There are no restrictions on spots or any other fish according to TWRA. There are O restrictions on any fish above the dam i.e.Chickamauga Lake. PCB's are the culprit and are mostly stored in the liver and fatty tissue of the fish.
 
well if you know you are eating something you arnt supposto and your fish start talkin to you and you feel you just need to be back in the water amongst all that sludge and guk in the water.NA there aint notin you need to knowemoScratch
 
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I've heard tell that one of the culprits that create that warning below the dam is from Chattanooga creek that flows through Alton Park and dumps into the river in the outer edge of bend at the base of Lookout mountain. I remember that creek had been targeted for a major clean-up. It was expected that the tar sediments would extend to as much a Eight feet below the creek bottom in the bed. After years of dredging and tons of dollar$ later they were discovering at Sixteen feet deep in the creek bed, they were just getting into the good stuff. Regretfully it was determined that it was not practical to continue the clean-up. the rest of the time and money was spent to try and encapsulate the contaminated soil with rocks. There are some very strong warnings about that little creek and it dumps into Nickajack.</p><font size="2">



Back when they were working on the Chattanooga Creek, I was thinking that it would be cheaper to dig a new channel parallel to the old bed and use the soil removed from the new channel to cover and seal the old creek bed. I still think it would have been cheaper and we would have a much cleaner environment. </p>

I do not know why they did not make me the boss.
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</p></font>With the exception of the sewage treatment plant, I can not think of any other reason that the watering from the clean Chickamauga could become toxic.
 
I would say our local fish are still healthier than most "store bought" fish. Ever see what they feed tilapia at the fish farms ? I saw it on Dirty Jobs if that tells you anything.
 
Liveliner - 9/19/2007 4:50 PM
With the exception of the sewage treatment plant, I can not think of any other reason that the watering from the clean Chickamauga could become toxic.
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Nevermind that most of the water is coming from upstream Watts Bar (which has warnings) which is fed by waters from Melton Hill (warnings) and Loudoun (warnings) and Tellico (warnings).emoScratch
 
cheez - 9/19/2007 9:53 PM
OK if you want to get technical. Here is where I first saw it. Same thingemoScratch
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Yeah same list but if you want to ask any questions about who, what, hows, or what ever else you better ask TDEC if you want to get an answer. TWRA just helps distribute the info, and nothing else.
 
Why is it that the warnings have been out for years about eating catfish from nicajack but nothing has stopped the commercial fishermen from selling their fish? I have no idea where the fish go to and who eats them but I know there are tons of catfish caught from nickajack and sold everyday. If the warnings were bad enough the commercial fishing would be stopped cold. I believe most of the warnings come from the greenies or people that have nothing else to do everyday but gripe.
 
Several years ago warnings were issued for the Coosa river here in Ga...no cats over so big and no stripers yadda yadda yadda....a scientist did a study and found that in order to actually get enough toxins to cause cancer, from the fish that we were warned against, a person would have to eat a pound of these fish a day for 70 years. I'm 56 years old....I like to eat catfish.....if I glow in the dark so be it! emoBang
 
Doc1 - 9/19/2007 10:36 PM

Why is it that the warnings have been out for years about eating catfish from nicajack but nothing has stopped the commercial fishermen from selling their fish? I have no idea where the fish go to and who eats them but I know there are tons of catfish caught from nickajack and sold everyday. If the warnings were bad enough the commercial fishing would be stopped cold..
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Good question but some of the problems may arrise because TDEC puts the warnings out, TWRA sets the fishing regs. Two very different agencies, with different directives, and different funding sources (TWRA only receives money from license sales and federal tax on sportfishing equipment, no state tax money).
I believe most of the warnings come from the greenies or people that have nothing else to do everyday but gripe.
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The criteria for testing comes from the EPA. Mercury and PCB are two of the more common contaminants both which are highly toxic to childern and can be passed by a nursing mothers. Both also can accumulate in time (very hard to flush out of your body) and cause severe neurological damage at very low concentrations. The increase in Autism in children and Alzheimer’s in adults is often blamed on increases in mercury. That said, there are warnings on cigarette packages but plenty people ignore that danger too.emoDoh
 
Cathooker - 9/19/2007 10:58 PM

Several years ago warnings were issued for the Coosa river here in Ga...no cats over so big and no stripers yadda yadda yadda....a scientist did a study and found that in order to actually get enough toxins to cause cancer, from the fish that we were warned against, a person would have to eat a pound of these fish a day for 70 years. I'm 56 years old....I like to eat catfish.....if I glow in the dark so be it! emoBang
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Amen, Cathooker...something's gonna kill ya...might as well be something good!emoHungry emoTongue emoVomit emoBigsmile
 
R14 - 9/19/2007 10:08 PM
Liveliner - 9/19/2007 4:50 PM With the exception of the sewage treatment plant, I can not think of any other reason that the watering from the clean Chickamauga could become toxic.
Click to expand...
Nevermind that most of the water is coming from upstream Watts Bar (which has warnings) which is fed by waters from Melton Hill (warnings) and Loudoun (warnings) and Tellico (warnings).emoScratch
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From what I understand, it is not the running water passing through the area so much as the sediment in the bed under the water.  That is why bottom feeding fish are the first to get contaminated.  Fish that feed on creatures who feed on the botton are next in line.</p>
 
Liveliner, what you are saying is partial true. Many (but not all) containments settle to the bottom, and with time get incorporated with the sediments. The algae and plankton that grow in that area will be "toxic" and often will break away from the bottom and float downstream, only to be eaten by something larger on the food chain, carrying the toxins as they go.

The toxins typically show up in larger and longer lived fish (more time for the toxins to bioaccumulate), some of which are bottom feeders. Note that stripers are often listed (and also largemouth bass from the Hiwassee), both larger and longer living species.

If you want to reduce your exposure then choose to eat smaller fish (they have not had as long to bioaccumulate as many toxins) and obviously eat fish that don't live on top of areas were the toxin has been spilled. emoThumbsup
 
They did a health study on Watts Bar a few years ago and tested about 55 people who eat fish at least 3 times per week on average. The result of a 6 month study, (if my old memory isn't lying to me) is that there was no statistical difference in any of the participants of the study from non-fish eaters. When I lived up there and fished Watts Bar all the time, I ate the fish and it didn't hurt me. (Might have made a few hairs fall out) emoLaugh emoLaugh emoGeezer
 

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