Some carp caught in the Mississippi River are back on the menu.
Last week, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted a “do not consume” advisory for silver carp and big head carp caught in the river. However, the advisory remains in effect for all other fish species in the river near Memphis.
The move was based on fish tissue samples collected last year and from historical data collected from 2005. The data show the carp are below Tennessee’s trigger point for all contaminants of concern.
“We provide these advisories so the community can make informed decisions about whether or not to consume fish where water contact hazards exist,” said TDEC Deputy Commissioner Greg Young. “Data studied from the collection in the Mississippi River have allowed TDEC to lift the previous advisory on the two species, and we are pleased to make this change. But we reiterate that the status for all other species has not changed.”
The blanket “do not consume” advisory was issued for all fish in the river in Shelby County in 1982 due to elevated levels of chlordane. The list was expanded in 1993 to include PCBs, endrin, dieldrin, and dioxin. Fish tested for these included sturgeon, buffalo common carp, catfish, carpsucker, sauger, bass, and crappie.
