Toxic? Updated List of the Fish Safe to Eat in New York

After new research, including information provided by nearly 8,000 New York State anglers, new guidelines have been released on which fish caught in the state are considered safe to eat.

While there is an advisory in the Adirondack region for fish containing mercury, the main health concern in the Hudson Valley is fish contaminated by Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Unfortunately, the news isn't positive.

Pollution in New York's Hudson River

The Hudson River, which runs nearly the entire length of New York, was once famous for its pollution. Thanks to activists ranging from Hudson Valley legend Pete Seeger to the ultra-athlete who swam the entire Hudson River in 2023, much progress has been made. Still, several Hudson Valley areas have fish advisories.

Safety Advisories for Fish Caught in the Hudson River

The official advice from New York State is that healthy adults should only have one meal per month containing nearly any fish caught in the Hudson River, with white catfish, channel catfish, gizzard shad, and walleye under a total "do not eat" advisory. Unfortunately, sensitive populations are recommend to stay away from any seafood caught in the Hudson River between the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and New York City. 

READ MORE: Why New York Rescue Animals Have Dots On Their Heads

How to Reduce PCB Levels in Fish in New York

Luckily, there are a few steps that New York anglers can take to further reduce the possible PCB content in the fish they catch. While nothing can remove all PCBs, some small steps could make a big impact.

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Removing the skin and fat from the fish, for example, can remove up to half of PCBs in Hudson River-caught fish, according to the New York State Department of health. Cooking fish on a grill or other surfaces that allows fat to drain away (remember your old George Foreman grill?) is helpful as well.