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Glynn County Advisories
Glynn County Seafood Advisory Flyer
(download English version pdf.)
(download Spanish version pdf.)
 
Flyer includes: color map of Advisory Areas, consumption limits for various local species, and cooking tips for reducing contaminants.
Children under the age of 7, women of childbearing age, and pregnant or nursing mothers:
You are advised to limit consumption of all local fish
and blue crabs to 1 meal per month in Glynn County….
In our county, contaminated seafood presents serious risks to public health. Specific advisories exist for popular food fish like whiting: all members of the general public are advised to eat no more than one meal per month of this popular fish.
Women of childbearing age are advised to avoid eating mullet altogether.
For a coastal community with fishing traditions going back for generations, public perceptions of risk can have serious social and economic implications for the fishing industry.
Get The Facts
People must be informed of existing risks, but not frightened into avoiding seafood altogether. Seafood is one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are extremely important for children and new mothers.
In coastal Georgia, both PCBs and mercury have been detected in significant amounts in several local species (DNR, 2006). In fact, seafood consumption advisories exist in all six coastal counties. For detailed information, check the 2007 Fish Consumption Guidelines.
Consuming seafood with dangerously high levels of contaminants has been linked to cancer (PCBs) and irreversible neo-natal damage to nervous system development (mercury) (Trasande et al ., 2005). For this reason, warnings are especially crucial for women of childbearing age.
Download easy-to-understand guidelines….
A Woman's Guide to Eating Fish from Coastal Georgia(English)(Español).
Women's guides to eating fish in other areas of Georgia
Mercury
Mercury does not break down over time. The organic form of mercury found in fish flesh is called methylmercury. While its presence in fish may be related to natural mercury content in rocks and soil, industrial development, or the use of fossil fuels, the origin of mercury in Georgia's seafood remains unknown (DNR, 2006).
Additional information on mercury in the environment:http://sofia.usgs.gov/sfrsf/
rooms/mercury/achilles_heel/cause.html
PCBs
The manufacture of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, is now illegal. These synthetic oils were used in electrical transformers and carbonless paper before they were banned in 1976. These contaminants can remain in aquatic sediment for years.
Additional information on PCBs:
www.epa.gov/pcb(EPA's main webpage for PCBs)
www.atsdr.cdc.gov(Agency for Toxic Substance & Disease Registry)
 In Glynn County, where our UGA Marine Extension station is located, contaminated seafood is linked to extremely high levels of industrial pollution. Glynn County is already home to 17 hazardous waste sites, 4 EPA Superfund sites, and 6 actively polluting industries ( Glynn Environmental Coalition, 2007).
Lost & Found
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes one of the four toxic sites in our community that have been designated as federal Superfund sites:
" The LCP Chemicals Superfund Site consists of 550 acres, the majority of which is a tidal marsh. An oil refinery, a paint manufacturing company, a power plant, and a chlor-alkali plant have all operated at this site over the last 70 years. Mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and semi-volatile contamination are prevalent across the plant site soils, in groundwater, and in the marsh biota.
EPA estimates that more than 380,000 pounds of mercury were "lost" in the area during this period. In addition to mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, other metals, and volatile organic compounds have contaminated the 500-acre marshlands area, a 1-mile portion of the Turtle River and the entirety of Purvis Creek. Mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls have been detected in aquatic life at levels sufficient to produce a ban on commercial fishing in these areas. A seafood consumption advisory covers part of the river and all of the creek” (EPA, 2007).
 Spread the Word
While men and women of childbearing age should have the best access to information and the greatest concern about the benefits and risks of eating seafood, this is often not the case. In fact, consumers between 21 and 45 years old are less aware of both the risks and the benefits than older people (Burger, 2005).
Warnings are often misleading, contradictory and confusing. Many people may mistakenly believe that avoiding seafood altogether is the only way to avoid potential risks.
Choose your seafood wisely and take steps to reduce contaminants by prepping and cooking according to guidelines.
 Not all types of seafood are equally affected by industrial contamination. Georgia is known for its wild shrimp, which can be eaten in unlimited amounts in most areas. The short life-cycle of shrimp does not allow for the bio-accumulation of toxins.
Local consumers and the fishing industry will both benefit from more effective communication and a rejuvenated community interest in improving water quality.
Contact Lisa at 912-262-3382 or email liguori@uga.edu with any questions.
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