mercury levels

[DRPEPPER]

I didn't want to change the subject of Jerry's pictures. But, Nimrod started talking about mercury levels. I remember seeing warnings years ago when I first moved to Arkansas about the limit of how many crappie you could safely eat from Lake Nimrod per week. This put me off from fishing there. I don't see Slab Bandit or Nimrod glowing and they appear healthy enough to me in their pictures.
Has the recomendations been lifted by the AGFC? Not being originaly from Ar, I don't know the history of why the levels were high. Did there used to be mining operations in the area? I lived in Pennsylvania for a couple of years. I remember some nasty creeks that had run off from strip mines in them.
DP

[canebreaker]

I watched a kids show with my grand daughter years ago.
I did the same as you. Ask questions that no one could answer.
Where does this mercury come from? Is there a plant up stream that has dumped the stuff into the water?

Just a kids show about earth and how we have torn it apart.
Mercury comes from all the wood that is in the water. We, I too, add a few trees and other woods to the water every year to attact fish where we want them to be.
Captain Planet is the name of the show. One of those eco programs.

[Jerry Blake]

I've never heard that mercury comes from wood in the water - might be another good reason for using bamboo unless it also contributes to the problem. It does come from wood that is burned and a lot of it can come from forest fires.

I've also read that it comes from coal-fired power plants and such. When fossil fuels are burned methyl mercury is released into the atmosphere and then comes back down when it rains and enters our creeks, rivers and lakes. It is also found in rocks and can be released into streams and rivers from erosion, excavation and mining operations.

Here's a link with some interesting info on mercury - http://www.ec.gc.ca/ceqg-rcqe/Englis.../merc_what.cfm.

Here's a quote from the above website:

"Worldwide, the burning of fossil fuels (mainly coal) by humans contributes up to 11 900 tonnes of mercury per year."

There's plenty of information on mercury on the Internet with varying opinions on how toxic it is to humans. The Arkansas Fishing Regulations book has consumption advisories for individual lakes. Last I looked there weren't any for the lakes I fish but I'm askeered to go back and look again.

[NIMROD]

Guys you are partially correct. The Mercury is a natural occurring metal. This is in Coal burned in power plants. Along with Sulfur which makes rain acid and will also leach metals out of the soil and rocks. Where it is a real problem is where organisums in the mud convert it to Methyl Mercury. This inturn moves up the food chain and concentrating in the bigger predators in the top of the food chain.
The only advisory on Nimrod I have seen is on Large Mouth Bass . Mainly on ones over 15 '' in length. The Ark. Health dept and AGFC recommended limiting consumption , mostly for pregnant or nursing women and young children. Our old Retired Game Warden is about 80 and he's ate them all his life ! That is his main fishing is for Bass and he eats them regularly. Never heard Crappie mentioned.

[canebreaker]

I've read this over a couple of times. Mercury is everywhere, ok till disturbed. Nature does a good job of. But got to wondering and here is what I came up with.
fossil fuels:
are we eating it in our meals cooked on a gas stove?
That steak grilled on charcoal?
It's found in rock, what about ore?
Is it burnt out when making a finished product like a cast iron pot or cookware?

Boy your mind can wonder into some strange places

[NIMROD]

The large saltwater predator fish like Tuna are high in Mercury. You can get Mercury posioning eating too much. There was an article about some people in I think California. They were trying to eat low fat diet. They ate Swordfish , Tuna , and such fish several days a week. They got sick and started losing their hair !

[canebreaker]

Lordy, they are getting old like me.


it does affect your nerves, so hair lose will follow