Fishing - Recreation or repast?

Popular fishing area below Mountain Island Lake Dam

Clean and Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle - Feb. 17, 2012

Fishing is an all-year round sport on the River.  Even in winter, fishermen bundle up to cast a line out into the River. The scene is serene and peaceful at that time of the year.

The problem is that largemouth bass and wild catfish have a warning from the North Carolina Division of Public Health. They both tested high for the heavy metal mercury. Limited consumption is advised.

Women who are of childbearing age, nursing or pregnant, and children under the age of 15 are advised not to eat either largemouth bass or catfish from the River.  Others are advised to eat only one meal per week of these fish.

Mercury poisoning has been linked to blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, growth problems and microcephaly (small head). None of these symptoms is reversible. A developing fetus and growing children are the most susceptible to the effects of high mercury consumption.

Bass fishing is a big sport on the lake. The fish are best released or kept as trophies, but should not be relied on as a big part of one’s diet.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.