Is Lake Superior Trout Safe To Eat?

In Lake Superior, whitefish and yellow perch can be eaten up to once a month, but lake trout should only be consumed once a month.

Is it safe to eat fish from Lake Superior?

GLIFWC documented that Lake Superior whitefish and lake herring had low chemical contaminant levels, so by choosing these species, women of child bearing age and children can get health benefits from eating fish while reducing their risk from chemical contaminants.

Is it safe to eat lake trout?

If you eat gamefish, such as lake trout, salmon, walleye, and bass, eat the smaller, younger fish (within legal limits). They are less likely to contain harmful levels of pollutants than larger, older fish. Eat panfish, such as bluegill, perch, stream trout, and smelt.

Are there parasites in Lake Superior?

Many recreational fishers who have been fishing in the Keweenaw Bay and Munising Bay areas of Lakes Superior have reported external parasites on lake trout and splake (cross between a lake trout and brook trout) they have caught. Some have even expressed concern if these fish are safe to eat.

Does lake trout have a lot of mercury?

Despite that progress, the levels of mercury in large game fish like lake trout has remained stubbornly high, failing to fall in line with the gradual reduction in pollution.

How much fish can you eat from Lake Superior?

MDHHS Eat Safe Fish guidelines define one serving as eight ounces for adults and four ounces for children. Smelt is a very commonly found food source.

Are Lake Superior salmon safe to eat?

Lake Superior fish consumption advisories
One meal per week of brown trout, chinook salmon, whitefish and walleye. One meal per month of all lake trout and smelt.

Why do people not eat lake trout?

Lake trout can grow very large and are fun to fish for. However, they are not prized for their flavor. Many anglers consider lake trout greasy. The flavor can be very fishy because of the fat content.

Do lake trout have worms?

The most common parasites are Eubothrium salvelini and Echinorhynchus salmonis in the intestine, and Cystidicola stigmatura in the swim bladder. Most of the parasites occur in the gastrointestinal tract. Twenty (80%) of the 25 helminth species reported from lake trout are represented by adults.

What causes parasites on trout?

The primary cause is the water temperature. When water temperatures rise trout tend to be under stress. Most diseases such as these are related to low levels of dissolved oxygen, extremes in water temperature and crowding.

Does Lake Superior have swimmer’s itch?

The parasites that cause swimmer’s itch are typically found in smaller lakes; the Great Lakes including Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Superior are often too windy and wavy to sustain the snails and their parasites.

Can you get worms from lake water?

Giardia parasites are found in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams worldwide, as well as in public water supplies, wells, cisterns, swimming pools, water parks and spas. Ground and surface water can become infected with giardia from agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge or animal feces.

Do stocked trout contain mercury?

Choose fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury such as salmon, trout, tilapia, cod, sole, sardines, shrimp, oysters, and other shellfish. For the most health benefits, choose fatty fish such as salmon, trout, herring, chub mackerel, and sardines. o These fish have healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

What fish has lowest mercury?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that to consume those higher amounts, children should only be fed fish from the “Best Choices” list that are even lower in mercury – these fish are anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, catfish, clams, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, mullet, oysters, plaice, pollock, salmon,

What freshwater fish are high in mercury?

The freshwater fish most likely to contain harmful amounts of mercury include smallmouth bass, walleye, largemouth bass, lake trout and Northern pike.

Can you eat stocked trout?

Are stocked trout safe to eat? Yes, stocked trout are as safe to eat as any fish that you pull from the same body of water. There are some special precautions to take to ensure that you cook the trout correctly.

Is it safe to eat smelt from Lake Superior?

(WOOD) — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reminding people to limit eating rainbow smelt caught in Lake Superior due to elevated levels of PFAS. The recommendations have been in place for nearly a year now, first issued on March 24, 2021.

Is Lake Superior whitefish healthy?

LAKE WHITEFISH IS GOOD FOR US!
It is also a source of healthy fats, called omega-3 fatty acids, and provides more than most other fish species in the North. These fats help to keep the heart healthy and are good for brain development.

How contaminated are the Great Lakes?

Pollutants. Although the Great Lakes are large, they are sensitive to pollutants. Outflows from the Great Lakes are relatively small (less than 1 percent per year) in comparison with the total volume of water. Pollutants that enter the lakes are retained in the system and become more concentrated with time.

Are walleye high in mercury?

Mercury concentrations in walleye fillets ranged from 0.11 to 0.44 parts per million (ppm). These concentrations do not exceed the current Federal standard (1.0 ppm of mercury) designed to protect the health of people who eat small amounts of fish.

How much trout can you eat?

Stocked trout contains relatively low levels of mercury. For rainbow and brown trout, women of childbearing age and children under age 7 can safely eat ONE 4-ounce meal per week; others can eat SIX 8-ounce meals per week.