Water Pollution

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]From time to time we have discussions on how safe and clean some of our favorite fishing ponds are (Utah Lake). [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I thought the attached cartoon might help make light of what could be a real problem.[/#0000ff]
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[Fishhound]

That's a great cartoon !

On the more serious side of that though, I have some interst in knowing the real scoop - since I do eat fish from that body of water - yeah even the bottom dwelling catfish. Even though I try to cut out the fattier parts and lateral lines(that's where the toxins accumulate as I understand), I would like to know if that is actually enough.

I have heard rumors and war stories that are on both sides of the "is it safe to eat them issue". Any idea on where I might find some more authoritative and maybe up to date info ? As in some study that may have some scientific basis to it.

On another side of the equation for me anyway, in my experience, I think I might be more at risk from the methods I use in cooking the fish I eat - mostly I fry the fish in some kind of oil or fat.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I have fished Utah Lake, and eaten fish from the lake since the 60s. So far, I do not look like the subjects in the cartoon, although there are those who may suggest that there are "noticeable effects".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I assure you that the lake is currently much healthier (chemically) than it was 20 years ago, and even back to the 60s. When Geneva Steel and other industrial concerns were dumping vast quantities of untreated wastewater into the lake. The fish did not quite glow in those days, but some of them smelled like 30-weight oil when you filleted them...especially when taken from the Geneva Steel bubbleup area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have followed the reports over the past few years, even while living out of state. It seems that the worst and most harmful heavy metals and chemicals are no longer being dumped into the lake, but a whole lotta gunk remains in the deep sediments of the lake. That is our legacy for our lifetimes and beyond.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The "good news" is that even major storms, that stir up the lake bottom, do not usually elevate the levels of the nasty stuff enough to be concerned. Major dredging may be a different story.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]These days, the major problem is the excess of salts and phosphorous in the water. These do not adversely affect the edibility and toxicity of fish as much as they create a more fertile habitat for blue-green algae. That stuff can be fatal to fish, fowl and mammals alike. Nasty stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have lived in, fished in and eaten fish from just about every area of the U.S. I can honestly say that the fish from Utah Lake are as good-tasting and non-lethal as fish from anywhere in the country. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Utah Lake would not win any beauty contests these days. In fact, during the warmer months, with algae infestations and fish dieoffs it is pretty disgusting in some areas. But, the same is true of almost any body of water anywhere.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If one employs a search engine to look up Utah Lake Water Quality, there are many sites devoted to the subject. Here is a link to a good one on the BYU net.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/51027"]LINK TO ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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