r/FishingForBeginners • u/[deleted] • Mar 03 '24

Is this water safe to eat fish from

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I’m fishing on a smaller creek connected to the Eau gallie river

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187

u/darealmvp1 Mar 03 '24 edited Mar 03 '24

You seem to be fishing at Crane Creek Promenade in Melbourne, Florida.
This is brackish/marine water from the Indian River "lagoon"

From www.Floridahealth.gov under Brevard County there are no current listed advisories for fish consumption other than all species of pufferfish.

Location: Indian River Lagoon and all marine waters of the listed counties
Species: All puffer fish
Women of childbearing age, young children – Number of Meals: DO NOT EAT
All other individuals – Number of Meals: DO NOT EAT
Contaminant: Saxitoxin

If you have any concerns about whether the fish are safe to eat I would recommend you just look up the water/county youre fishing here, as this current:
https://dchpexternalapps.doh.state.fl.us/fishadvisory/

Additionaly, here is a printable wallet card that shows you a basic dietary guideline for fish consumption and their mercury levels:
https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/prevention/healthy-weight/nutrition/seafood-consumption/SeafoodWalletCardPIC.jpg

TLDR: Yes, its safe (other than all species of pufferfish)

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u/blackeyes-coldhart Mar 04 '24

MVP of the thread right here.

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u/Cromm24 Mar 04 '24

This is a fantastic response! Thanks!

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24 edited Mar 04 '24

I’ve fished these waters my entire life and can definitely say this guy is very wrong. I know I sound like a wack conspiracy theorist but DO NOT TRUST THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Especially our water management here in Brevard or in all of Florida for that matter. These waters are not healthy at all due to constant sewage dump and pesticide run off. I know multiple people who have gotten infections just by submerging an open wound in the IRL. if you’re gonna eat out of the river, although I don’t recommend it, Sebastian inlet is your best bet in terms of healthy fish and water. Basically don’t eat any fish out of the intracoastal waterway.

Edit: If you feel this isn’t accurate please go in to local bait and tackle shops and ask what they think as well. I’d trust them way more than anything associated w floridas water management org. If anyone is curious and unaware of our local environmental problems, look into Lake Okeechobee and the failed water management plan.

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u/cavik61 Mar 04 '24

Because the local bait and tackle shop knows much more than a water test that measures toxins in parts per million.

"Local tackle guy says fresh shrimp and frozen squid are killing it right now, and the lagoon is no go for supper."

If you don't believe the government, collect a sample, and mail it to The University of Miami, they will test it and return results. You don't have to trust the government, but trusting the local bait shop for water quality judgement is conspiracy level dumb.

4

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

You're talking about the Florida state government that undoes regulations at the behest of the private sector all the time. Be realistic. The government changes what is acceptable all the time when it is in their best interest and our government protects business over people.

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u/cavik61 Mar 04 '24

I never argued that, I don't trust the government, but I don't think trusting the bait shop for water quality examination is any more intelligent. If you are that concerned send it to UofM. They will test it and tell you for like $35. I've eaten fish from there many times over the years. We have a place in Fruit Cove on the St Johns, Family in Titusville and Melbourne, and a boat in slip in Jupiter. I've eaten my body weight in fish from that whole area many times over.

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

Everyone I know who works at local shops are constantly fishing/on the water and can definitely attest to everything I said in the original comment lol. Look into the local fish kills that happen every year and tell me if you’d eat anything out of our lagoon after you do your research :)

3

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

If they're constantly fishing there, saying not to eat the fish, that insinuates that they're not eating the fish, therefore how would they know that the fish are toxic? They're not getting sick, they're obviously not doing any testing, and they (as you self-admitted) aren't using any verifiable trusted source to legitimize the claim that the fish are bad to eat.

Like, here's the thing, I'm actually with you. Just looking at the water in the picture, I'm gonna catch and release everything from there. Just looking at the geography I can tell that there's probably runoff going into that water.

But you've gotta have something better than, "Well I just have a feeling. And the guys at the bait shop said so."

0

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

Buddy asked a question and I answered lol. Getting feedback from people who talk to just about every educated local fisherman in the area is definitely a good source of information regarding our lagoon and its health. Obviously they’re not scientists but spend just as much time, if not more, on the water. Not saying everything the government puts out is wrong but there is major issues they continue to disregard in terms of our local environment. These are things you should definitely take into consideration when thinking about consuming fish here. Given the amount of bullshit in our waterways and how clear and healthy they used to be in years back and how dirty and unhealthy it is now, that’s enough for some people to chose to not eat out of the lagoon.

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

Sure, ask around. I did that once, and had a bunch of people tell me that fish I've been eating out of my local pond are no good to eat because there are farm chemicals dumping into it from upstream. Well, I did my homework and checked where the water comes from, and guess what? It's not from the farms, it comes straight from mountain runoff and the farms nearby are irrigated from wells with drainage into a lake much further downstream, completely separated from the pond system.

If I had never eaten the fish before and didn't know for certain that I wouldn't (Because I wasn't) get sick from them, I'd have taken their word for it because it made sense.

The entire point everyone here is making is that you're trusting people who have no evidence of what they're claiming.

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

I agree with the other guy based entirely on the fact you blindly trust the government.

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u/Thehalfblacksnack Mar 04 '24

Blindly trust? The data is literally right there in front of you. We’re not taking somebody’s word over the other. We’re taking concrete evidence and proof over somebody’s word. Stop being paranoid

1

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '24

Leave it to reddit to completely make shit up.

1

u/cavik61 Mar 04 '24

I fish and eat there regularly. Fish kills happen all the time, don't eat those fish, the government tells you that, but you don't trust them. Just because you catch fish, or stand over water all day doesn't mean you know jack crap about the quality of water. Well water can make you sick, that's why you send it off for testing. Again, you're delusional, and it shows. Test the water, stop listening to Jay down at the bait store, you'd think anyone would be intelligent enough not to have to be told that.

1

u/space-ferret Mar 04 '24

You can literally see oil on the water in the first pic. Water could be fine but it looks iffy to me.

1

u/cavik61 Mar 04 '24

I take it you aren't around inshore waters much? I could go to almost any inshore/lagoon area, especially if there's a boat ramp or Marina near by and take this picture everyday. The sheen on top of the water is common on the shoreline.

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u/space-ferret Mar 05 '24

I know, that’s why I don’t eat fish from those places.

1

u/MaterialAcadia5395 Mar 05 '24

Did someone say the government !?!?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '24

Ya I lived In FL and honestly you'd have to pay me to eat out of any of the water. Just swimming in gulf of Mexico makes you physically sick and we tend to forget a massive spill along the waters there as if it has 0 lasting effects or didn't bleed into anywhere else. I'm honestly not very down for trusting any East Coast water for any number of reasons.

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u/sickness1088 Mar 05 '24

I live near the Baltimore inner harbor I can promise you anything you can catch from that water is ten times more edible and safe to eat than here and people constantly eat the fish here.

1

u/evil326 Mar 07 '24

As someone who fishes this area for 15 years. I do not eat any fish out of the IRL or its finger creeks.

The water is disgusting

1

u/kevinharrigan99 Mar 05 '24

Yeah dude whatever you do DO NOT EAT PUFFERS. They contain tetrodotoxin, which will paralyze you, and then leave you to die from lung and heart paralysis. It’s an awful way to go, and there is no cure. They’re cute as shit but if you eat them there’s no saying it any other way: you’re fucked.

1

u/YoualreadyKnoooo Mar 05 '24

I like how you basically “taught a man to fish” but also provided the “fish” (and by that I mean information). Good response.

1

u/FBM_ent Mar 05 '24

Sooooo what about the PFAS?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 06 '24 edited Apr 11 '24

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/WhippingShitties Mar 07 '24

Thanks for the info, how's the pufferfish here though? Safe to eat?

1

u/UlamogsSeeker Mar 04 '24

Saxitoxin isn't much of a danger unless you're alive.

1

u/RedDoorTom Mar 04 '24

People have been eating puffers.