Bay River Houseboats

What fish have less chemicals in them Ocean/bay, river, or lake fish?

I want to know which fish are less risky to eat. Ocean water fish, river/running water fish, or lake fish? WHich ones have less PBC's, Mercury, etc?

Public Comments

1. ocean its a bigger body of water for the chemicals to dilute in
2. Lake ..if it's private,followed by river, nothing out of the gulf of Mexico right now,not after KATRINA !!!
3. For the most part, ocean fish are cleaner, since there is far more water to dilute the chemicals. However, nonmigratory bottom-feeding inshore fish can pick up a lot of pollutants if they live near storm drains or other sources of pollution. The white croaker in Santa Monica Bay fit that description, and there are warning signs about eating them on piers in the area. However, other fish in the same waters have been tested and are fine to eat, probably since they eat free-swimming baitfish rather than worms in the muddy bottom. One other concern might be the age of a fish -- the longer it's been alive, the more time it's had to accumulate pollutants. The Japanese like to eat big old fish because they think it will help them live to a ripe old age, but I'd rather eat a 20 pound tuna than a 200 pounder. By that standard, something like dorado (mahi-mahi) might be one of the best to eat, since they're one of the fastest growing fish out there. Lakes can get very polluted, since there's relatively little change in the water... but then if it's a high mountain lake with no pollution sources on shore or upstream, there won't be a problem. Same with rivers and streams - it depends what's upstream.
4. I agree with Peter_AZ. Ocean fish hands down. Esp deep ocean fish.