Catfish: Do you eat it?

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

Toxin levels, like mercury.
All fish have some level of toxins in the meat but catfish typically have higher levels because they hang out on the bottom with the sediment and you’re not supposed to eat too much of it.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll chow on some fried catfish but it shouldn’t necessarily be an every day meal.

according to the American Heart Association, Catfish is lower in mercury content than canned tuna, halibut, or cod. And on par with most other seafood and fish.

http://www.americanheart.org/present...tifier=3013797

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

according to the American Heart Association, Catfish is lower in mercury content than canned tuna, halibut, or cod. And on par with most other seafood and fish.

http://www.americanheart.org/present...tifier=3013797

Interesting that they don’t specify what type of catfish.

http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archi.../01042010a.htm

Tissue samples currently are taken from bottom-feeding fish and from predatory fish, where available. Mercury tends to accumulate in predatory fish to a greater extent than in bottom-feeding fish. Earlier fish tissue contaminant monitoring efforts had focused on bottom-feeding fish owing to the presence of pesticides and other organic chemicals (DDT, dieldrin, chlordane, PCBs, etc.). Average mercury concentrations in Kansas fishes remain lower than nationwide averages. KDHE protocol requires use of the average tissue mercury level when conducting water body specific risk assessments.

Channel cats, white and yellow cats, bull head cats can be predatory but are mostly scavengers. Blues are more of a predator but flat heads in particular are pure predator, if you’re fishing with anything dead you’re not fishing for flat heads.
I think it’s assumable they’re talking about channel cats as that’s what most farm raised catfish that are served in restaurants are.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

Interesting that they don’t specify what type of catfish.

http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archi.../01042010a.htm

Tissue samples currently are taken from bottom-feeding fish and from predatory fish, where available. Mercury tends to accumulate in predatory fish to a greater extent than in bottom-feeding fish. Earlier fish tissue contaminant monitoring efforts had focused on bottom-feeding fish owing to the presence of pesticides and other organic chemicals (DDT, dieldrin, chlordane, PCBs, etc.). Average mercury concentrations in Kansas fishes remain lower than nationwide averages. KDHE protocol requires use of the average tissue mercury level when conducting water body specific risk assessments.

Channel cats, white and yellow cats, bull head cats can be predatory but are mostly scavengers. Blues are more of a predator but flat heads in particular are pure predator, if you’re fishing with anything dead you’re not fishing for flat heads.
I think it’s assumable they’re talking about channel cats as that’s what most farm raised catfish that are served in restaurants are.

Yes, I would guess that is based on farm raised fish for commercial sale.

I would be very hesitant to eat river caught fish in the area more due to ag runoff and PCB than heavy metals. My family grew up in Iowa eating river cat, grandpa was a commercial fisherman on THE river. I haven't eaten catfish not bought in a store or restaurant in probably 15 years or more.