New analysis illustrates the risks of consuming freshwater fish, as scientists proceed to uncover high-levels of so-called ceaselessly chemical substances in our bodies of water in Maine and all through the nation.
Consuming only one serving of freshwater fish a 12 months is the same as consuming PFAS-laced water for a month, in line with a latest research by scientists on the Environmental Working Group.
The Environmental Working Group analyzed greater than 500 fish samples from our bodies of water throughout the nation, together with from seven Maine rivers.
The research references historic samples collected from fish within the Androscoggin, Kennebec, Saint John and the east department of the Penobscot River, amongst others.
Dan Kusnierz, water sources program supervisor for the Penobscot Nation, mentioned PFAS contamination is a meals sovereignty problem.
The tribe has been working with the EPA to establish PFAS and different contaminants in anadromous fish discovered within the Penobscot River. Tribal residents have been suggested to not eat fish from the river, as a result of potential well being dangers. However Kusnierz mentioned some tribal members are nonetheless fishing and consuming their catch anyway, as a result of the follow is deeply embedded inside their tradition.
“After which some are folks … don’t need to eat something related to the river,” he mentioned. “It’s a big loss to the tribe’s sustenance rights and tradition.”
Work is underway to establish the precise sources of PFAS on tribal land and water, Kusnierz mentioned.
State officers have issued do-not eat advisories for fish present in a number of Maine our bodies of water which have excessive ranges of PFAS.
This text seems by a media partnership with Maine Public.
