Do not eat fish got from sydney harbour!!!

Fish poison lies that risked lives

May 19, 2006

EXPERT advice on the amount of Sydney Harbour fish that is safe to eat has not been passed on to the public, internal documents have revealed.

Minutes from an expert panel meeting in January show dietary advice given to the public earlier this year tells only half of the story.

When dangerous levels of dioxins were discovered in Harbour seafood, the State Government advised the public it was safe to eat a maximum of 150g of Harbour fish once a month.

The minutes quote the chair of the independent panel Professor Brian Priestly as saying in some areas of the Harbour less than 150g should be consumed per month.

"For more polluted areas, more restricted dietary advice is required and it seems this point is not communicated to the public." The advice recommended "recreational fishers only consume one meal every two months of fish caught anywhere in Sydney Harbour".

       

Released yesterday, the documents show the Government knew two years ago that Harbour fish had unacceptable dioxin levels -- but commercial fishing was allowed for another 18 months.

The documents reveal officials knew many recreational fishers were unaware of advice dating back to 1990 that they limit consumption of fish west of the Gladesville bridge.

Commercial fishing was banned in Sydney Harbour in January -- and anglers told to eat no more than 150g of Harbour fish a month -- after high levels of dioxins were discovered in prawns and fish.

But a 2004 email from Department of Environment and Conservation official Therese Manning shows the Government knew tests in 1990 indicated dioxin levels were unacceptable.

"The bottom line regarding existing data on fish from Parramatta River from 1990 and the most recent advice on dioxins is that ... fish were contaminated to unacceptable levels," the email, to a Department of Fisheries official in August 2004, said.

Ms Manning also sent an email in January this year referring to an advisory issued in 1990 that recreational fishers should not eat more than two meals a month of fish caught upstream of Gladesville bridge.

"It is likely recreational fishers are unaware that such an advisory exists," the email said.

The Opposition primary industries spokesman Duncan Gay said he had the documents tabled because "[they] show the Government can't be trusted on this".

Blood tests to check dioxin levels in commercial fishermen and their families began yesterday.

Has this stopped you eating fish from the Harbour?