Media Advisory: State Department of Health Experts Available at the Saratoga County Fair to Discuss Advice for Eating the Fish You Catch
Event: Media Availability – Interview and photo/video opportunities
What: The New York State Department of Health will be at the Saratoga County Fair to discuss the 2024 advice for eating the fish you catch from New York State's freshwaters, including waters in the Adirondack and Capital Region.
Date: Tuesday, July 23
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Saratoga County Fair, Conservation Building
162 Prospect Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Contact: Erin Clary, DOH Public Information Officer, (518) 603-0295
Background:
The New York State Department of Health will be on site at the Saratoga County Fair all week, July 23 – 28, to chat with fish anglers about this year's recommendations for eating the fish caught in New York State's waters including in the Adirondack and Capital regions. This year's advice is more protective and provides different advice for each type of fish.
Department experts will provide one-on-one advice for anglers based on who you are, where you fish and what you catch. Fair goers can get materials, coloring books, Hudson River posters and even play the Department's Fish Advisory "Go Fish" game.
Visit health.ny.gov/fish for specific advice and more info.
Fishing is a popular activity and fish are an important part of a healthy diet. However, some fish contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to humans. Each year, the Department updates its health advice due to concerns about contaminants in fish like mercury, PCBs and PFAS. The goal is to help people make healthier choices about which fish to eat and which to avoid. People who become pregnant and eat contaminated fish may be at a higher risk of having children with developmental or learning delays. Children who eat a lot of contaminated fish may also have potential for negative effects on their development and long-term health. In contrast, older adults may face fewer health risks from these chemicals, so the advice encourages them to enjoy eating these sport-caught fish more frequently.
The Department's health advice is based on a risk management approach and uses fish contamination data collected by DEC's statewide fish monitoring program . Each year, DEC performs several thousand chemical analyses on more than 1,000 fish samples and provides the results to DOH for use in setting consumption advisories.
Visit the Department's website for Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch, here.
Additional information about how the Department sets fish advisories is available here.
