Are fish raised in ponds as likely to have elevated levels of mercury as those from streams or rivers?

Question

The pond was constructed about a year ago on the same site (15 acres in rural SE North Carolina) that I built my house. How / where could I test the water or fish?

Answer 1

Mercury of course is a pollutant that got there because of industry. It would seem on one hand that a fast moving stream would clear out its area. On the other hand a pond cannot clean itself. If the conditions around the pond are known, then it is cleaner than a river running by industrial outlets. Streams being smaller would seem to be cleaner, depending on what they went by.Some farm raised fish are raised within huge nets in the ocean.Our trout pond had 10 springs so it did clean itself of any runoff from farming fields.Big rivers like the Hudson have alot flowing into them, which I have observed sailing.

Answer 2

Mercury levels in fish are determined by the amount of methylated mercury in their environment and food sources. If the pond is polluted with mercury and/or the fish's food is contaminated, they will have a high mercury level. In general, larger, older fish from species higher on the food chain (predators) tend to accumulate more mercury. Farm raised pond fish are usually harvested when they are young, and the diet is completely controlled.

Since you are talking about a private pond on your own land, you might ask the geology department at your state university if there is any problem with mercury in the soil or water in your part of the state. If you manage the pond for recreational fishing, the food will likely come from nature. Bream, crappie and panfish are unlikely to have high concentrations of mercury. Large catfish, bass or stripers might, if there is mercury in your environment.

Answer 3

It all depends on the level of mercury in the body of water, be it a pond, stream, river, lake or ocean. Some types of mercury bioaccumulate (build up in the fatty tissues) in animals. How much mercury is in a fish depends on the levels of mercury in the water and the amount of time the fish has been exposed to levels of mercury.

Answer 4

Farmed fish tend to have higher mercury levels than free roaming fish because the feed they use is relatively high in mercury (it's made from other fish). As a general rule, wild caught fish are healthier than their farmed counterparts.

Answer 5

The thing you should be looking at are the top predators in the environment. If you have Musky, pike or large mouth Bass, they will have higher accumulation of mercury than the benthic fish or others lower down in the food chain.

Answer 6

I'm sure regulations vary from state to state, but there are federal regulations in place, so I doubt it. But there are other potential problems associated with farming fish, and people who consume fish regularly should try to become more aware consumers.

Answer 7

Its doubtful but depending upon the source of the water and inherent ground levels will be the determining factor.

Answer 8

it depends. are said ponds polluted?

Answer 9

yes