New dietary advice for anglers is catch of the day

Some good news for the State’s anglers with several recreational fish species caught east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge found to be relatively free of dioxin.

The final round of dioxin related dietary advice for Sydney Harbour’s recreational anglers had been determined following the completion of extensive additional fish sampling.

Recreational species caught east of the Bridge that were found to be safe include:

• Kingfish; (Anglers may now consume up to 1.8kgs per month).
• Luderick; (Anglers may now consume up to 1.8kgs per month).
• Flounder; (Anglers may now consume up to 1.8kgs per month).
• Trumpeter Whiting; (Anglers may now consume up to 1.8kgs per month).
• Sand Whiting; (Anglers may now consume up to 1.2kgs per month).
• Silver Trevally and crab; (Anglers may now consume up to 750gms per month).

All of these species had levels below the 6 picogram levels recommended by the Expert Panel.

While this is good news for recreational fishers east of the Bridge, the tests confirmed that the situation west of the Bridge is bleak, and anglers should release their catch.

Fishers who are unsure of what type of fish they are catching should follow the current dietary advice of 150 gms per month.

Unfortunately, the tests for commercial species such as Bream, Prawns and Squid are so high as to make it impossible for commercial fishing to return to the Harbour in the foreseeable future.

About 400 fish have been tested in total as part of the comprehensive testing regime.

It’s important to remember that dioxin pollution is a result of more than 100 years of industrial pollution of our beautiful harbour.

That’s why the NSW Government is spending around $20 million to get on with the job of cleaning up those areas around Homebush Bay that are the source of the problem.

Progress on one of the largest remediation sites in NSW is well underway.

Remediation of the sites that were heavily impacted by the Union Carbide operations is more than a third completed.

Most of the remediation work, including the sediments in Homebush Bay, should be completed by 2008, with all work anticipated to be finalised in 2009.

This remediation work comes on the back of a $5 million rescue package for those commercial fishers affected by the Harbour closure.

A full breakdown of the latest dietary advice can be obtained by phoning the NSW Food Authority’s contact centre on 1300 552 406 between 8:30am -5:30pm Monday to Friday, or accessing the Authority’s website at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au

The Department of Primary Industries in conjunction with the NSW Food Authority will be embarking on an extensive community education campaign over the coming months to make sure fishers know exactly what they should do when wetting a line in the harbour over the summer period.

Sydney Harbour was closed to commercial fishing on January 24 this year, after tests of commercial species such as Bream showed elevated levels of dioxins.