Safe to eat dublin caught fish?

Freethinker

Hi,

I recently moved to Raheny and am interested in shore angling from howth/ Sutton/Dollymount or anywhere close by that is any good.

Is it safe to eat any fish caught in dublin waters or are there high levels of toxins? I read that dollymount has blue flag status, but im still worried about eating anything i catch around there.

Also a friend told me he would eat shellfish from dollymount, I always assumed that would be very dangerous? wouldnt they make you ill?

ironbluedun

i have heard that the new waste water treatment plant at ringsend has helped to clean up dublin bay a lot, though i am no expert on this, might be a good idea to contact someone in howth sea angling club, they will know more and may give you good advice.

coolwings

You don't need a degree in water quality to know not to eat fish from close proximity to a city of over a million human beings.

A water quality certificate for swimming, does not address the organisms that live there all the time. Migratory organisms are different, like mackerel and so on, and most of their life/feeding has been done elsewhere, so where they are numerous a harvest is safer.

I would be happy to eat lots of resident fish from Dublin Bay if I were over 80 years of age already.

Besides, the fishing pressure in highly populated places is so extreme that there is a very strong argument for catch and release if the fishing is not to drop to a lower standard.

Paulyh

i havent fished off Howth in about 3 years, but i used to catch lots of mackrel there and gut them and cook them. they were lovely.........and i dont think it did me any harm :eek:

sickpuppy

My Polish house mate eats lots of fish from the canal Roach Bream the odd Tench most weeks and divel the bit of harm its done to him.

ButcherOfNog

sickpuppy wrote: »

My Polish house mate eats lots of fish from the canal Roach Bream the odd Tench most weeks and divel the bit of harm its done to him.

Until he gets caught and ends up in court.

yank_in_eire

The Ringsend plant has made a huge difference in water quality, but where shellfish are concerned it's the sediment you have to worry about. The overlying water might be of blue flag standard but I bet if you dig down a few inches you would find some manner of nasty stuff in the mud.

Though with that said, everything seems to speed up your journey to the grave these days - might as well die happy with a belly full of seafood!!

ironbluedun

sickpuppy wrote: »

My Polish house mate eats lots of fish from the canal Roach Bream the odd Tench most weeks and divel the bit of harm its done to him.

you should eat your polish house mate. and divel a bit of harm it will do ya;)

dl

sickpuppy wrote: »

My Polish house mate eats lots of fish from the canal Roach Bream the odd Tench most weeks

Hence why angling in our lakes, rivers & canals has been totally devoid of fish in recent years!

sickpuppy

ButcherOfNog wrote: »

Until he gets caught and ends up in court.

Sorry guys forgot to put a smiley:pac: in i dont have a polish house mate.
But was talking to my Estonian friend when she was cooking had a fish flavour packet witha picture of a carp on it.
She said at home its avery popular fish about 7 or 8 euro a kilo so im guessing other coarse fish irish anglers wouldnt touch are also high up on the menu:mad:

Ingenuist

OP = Doubt it..