TY - JOUR
T1 - Urban recreational fisheries
T2 - Implications for public health in metro-Phoenix
AU - Lucas, Daniel
AU - Polidoro, Beth
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported in part by funding from the USEPA Urban Waters Program (Grant #99T44001 ) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Five-Star Urban Waters Program (Grant #1301.16.052536 ). We also thank the Western Alliance to Expand Student Opportunities (WAESO) and Arizona State University’s New College Undergraduate Inquiry and Research Experience (NCUIRE) for student support. Many thanks to the dozens of undergraduate students working in the Polidoro SWAT Lab, and to lab manager Cassandra Clement. We thank the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) for technical guidance.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/6
Y1 - 2019/6
N2 - Lakes and ponds across metro-Phoenix primarily provide recreational opportunities for fishing, as swimming and other uses are generally not permitted. Given these designated uses, many of the lakes and ponds are monitored for nutrients and signs of eutrophication, but not necessarily for heavy metals or organic pollutants that can be transferred over time to recreationally-caught fish. This may be a concern considering the practice of many Phoenix residents who catch and consume fish from urban waterways. In this pilot study, samples of commonly stocked fish species (e.g. trout, bluegill, bass and catfish) and resident fish (sunfish) were collected through standard recreational fishing practices and analyzed for both metal and organic contaminants. Results showed varying concentrations of pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phthalates, as well as several potentially toxic metals. These findings may have long-term public health consequences, as approximately 60% of urban anglers have reported eating the fish they catch. Results from this study highlight the need for regular urban water and stocked fish monitoring, improved regulations to protect urban surface water quality, and creation of a comprehensive and standardized protocol for urban fish consumption advisories.
AB - Lakes and ponds across metro-Phoenix primarily provide recreational opportunities for fishing, as swimming and other uses are generally not permitted. Given these designated uses, many of the lakes and ponds are monitored for nutrients and signs of eutrophication, but not necessarily for heavy metals or organic pollutants that can be transferred over time to recreationally-caught fish. This may be a concern considering the practice of many Phoenix residents who catch and consume fish from urban waterways. In this pilot study, samples of commonly stocked fish species (e.g. trout, bluegill, bass and catfish) and resident fish (sunfish) were collected through standard recreational fishing practices and analyzed for both metal and organic contaminants. Results showed varying concentrations of pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phthalates, as well as several potentially toxic metals. These findings may have long-term public health consequences, as approximately 60% of urban anglers have reported eating the fish they catch. Results from this study highlight the need for regular urban water and stocked fish monitoring, improved regulations to protect urban surface water quality, and creation of a comprehensive and standardized protocol for urban fish consumption advisories.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.03.031
DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.03.031
M3 - Article
C2 - 30889408
AN - SCOPUS:85063336113
SN - 0045-6535
VL - 225
SP - 451
EP - 459
JO - Chemosphere
JF - Chemosphere
ER -