I Will Likely Alienate 85% of You With This Post

In looking at my Google Analytics stats for the full year 2010, there were a lot of interesting things to observe.  One of them is that only about 15% of my blog's traffic comes from the State of Pennsylvania.  (For those slow on the uptake, that happens to be the state in which I live).  As such, the post I'm about to write runs the risk of being a snoozer for most, but considering it involves my "home water", it...well...hits home.

The State of Pennsylvania has released its updated fish consumption advisories for 2011.  For the most part they have stayed the same as in years past, warning anglers not to eat more than a certain amount of fish due to unhealthy levels of mercury, PCBs, etc...

“Pennsylvania’s fish advisory message is consistent with the story being told throughout the country – eat fish, but choose wisely,” said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. “Pennsylvania’s waters offer a bounty of clean, safe fish for people to eat. The information provided in our advisory serves to guide consumers about their choices.”

The advisories are only for fish caught recreationally and do not apply to fish raised for commercial purposes or those bought in stores or restaurants.

“Consumption advisories are not intended to discourage anyone from fishing or eating fresh fish in moderation,” DEP Secretary John Hanger said. “However, at-risk groups and people who regularly eat sport fish are most susceptible to contaminants that can build up in fish over time and should space out fish meals according to these advisories, and in consultation with their physician.”

That's cool & works for me.  Until I read them.  Especially these two consumption advisories which struck me as quite odd; to quote:

One meal per month advisory has been issued for Corbicula (Asiatic Clam) in the Schuylkill River in Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. 

Asiatic Clams - A "no-no"

Brown Trout in Valley Creek in Chester County has been reduced to a one meal per month advisory 

A PCB laded Valley Brown

Why do these seem odd to me? Well if you check your Pennsylvania fishing regs for 2011, you'll find the following:

Mussels & Clam Season is deemed "Closed Year-Round"

Valley Creek is deemed "Catch & Release, All Tackle Only"

You catch that?  So you can't legally harvest Asiatic Clams from the Schuylkill or Brown Trout from Valley Creek to eat them in the first place...why bother with the consumption advisory?  I guess it's the state's responsibility to let you know how f'd up your fish are, but it makes no sense to me.

What he wrote.

To their credit, they did spell out the Valley Creek contradiction a little bit if you read the release, but totally neglect stating you can't take clams at all.  While I don't know anyone harvesting Asiatic Clams (wonder if they taste good on pasta?), it sounds like a potentially confusing directive for both species, especially for recreational anglers not already versed in the various state fishing regulations.

Just my two cents.