Signs posted at popular fishing locales throughout the United Kingdom are just in time for the Holidays, and targeted at eastern European immigrants, such as the Polish, who traditionally enjoy eating a dish of pike or carp for Christmas.

The fish are prized by European sport anglers, who primarily practice catch and release.  Officials and anglers hope that the signs prevent those ‘less sophisticated’ immigrants from ’stealing’ their valuable sport fish. 

It’s an understandable cause, but doesn’t it make you wish there were more fish around for those traditional Poles who just want to catch Christmas dinner?  I propose that we Americans (and Australians too) make our own version of these signs:  PLEASE TAKE OUR CARP!!!

For a few years now, I’ve been skeptical of the fish consumption advisories showing up in almost every state in the U.S., as a result of concerns over the effects of mercury.  We tend to take most things that government tells us as fact without much questioning.  I mean it’s written down on paper, in publications….”Don’t eat too much fish….mercury poisoning…” and so on.  But what data are these advisories based on?  I mean, it’s usually better to take a precautionary approach to things, but how much do we really know about the effects of mercury levels on human health?  Or……has it even been proven that such effects exist?

The fish consumption issue, which has pertained especially to pregnant women, has been called to question by recent work contradicting government warnings about mercury.  Last week, a group of U.S. experts stated that pregnant women should eat more fish because the benefits to infant brain development outweigh the risks that trace amounts of mercury could negatively affect infants. 

the group of 14 obstetricians and nutritionists said the threat of mercury poisoning remains only theoretical, while the warnings have scared many pregnant women into not eating fish at all, robbing them and their babies of vital nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, known to help brain development

“There has been no case of fetal mercury toxicity due to fish consumption reported in the United States,” said one of the experts

Estimates on the dangers posed by mercury come from people exposed in chemical spills. No major studies have shown that mercury from food or vaccines has caused brain damage to mothers or children.

Interesting stuff, to say the least.  Read the full story here

I remember coming across a 20 year study from a coastal area where people consume much, much more fish that we do in the U.S., and had mercury concentrations in their bodies at about 10 times higher than Americans.  As far as I can remember, a huge sample size over a long time period showed no noticable affects of mercury levels on human health.  I can’t currently find the study, I’ll post it if I find it.  Something to ponder.  We’re doing tons of research on the transport and levels of mercury and passing laws and restrictions, and we’re not even sure how it affects humans.