Officials: Efforts to improve health of Detroit River noticeable to those who eat fish

5/7/2014

DETROIT  — Efforts to improve the health of the Detroit River are noticeable by taste to those who eat fish from the waterway, officials announced today.

The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup and the Detroit River Public Advisory Council said in a statement that the flavor of fish from an area of the international waterway that’s classified as the Detroit River Area of Concern has been found to be “not impaired.”

“Our waters are getting cleaner, pollution levels are decreasing and our ability to enjoy aquatic recreational activities is improving. There’s still work to be done but we continue to make progress each and every year,” said Mary Bohling, chair of the Detroit River Public Advisory Council.

The determination comes after research and surveys of anglers along the river.

The groups said that most of those surveyed who eat the fish indicated that the fish smells as it should and “tastes good.” Pollutants in the waterway, which runs between the U.S. and Canada, have been known in the past to taint the flavor of fish.

Caution is urged by those eating certain types of fish from the Detroit River, however, since they can contain high levels of contaminants such as mercury and PCBs. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and others issue guidelines for consumption of fish in the region.