Do you like to eat the bass you catch? How about going out to eat fish and seafood, is that one of your favorite things to do? If so, there's bad news... You could be contaminated!
If you fish in South Florida, you'll see signs everywhere with a warning about eating the fish because they contain mercury. The government has known for years that the sugar refineries there have produced mercury as a by-product and it has been going into the water system for decades. Of course, they have just let it happen because of the money they get from the sugar refineries in taxes. That seems to be the way in Florida; they just turn and look the other way. When I lived in Florida for many years, I couldn't believe no one cared about the mercury levels in the water. From the big lake to the Everglades, all is filled with mercury and eventually runs to the ocean.
The bad part is that this is not only happening in Florida but other states as well. In 2003, 280 more fish consumption advisories were issued. Forty five states had issued advisories with twenty-one states issuing statewide advisories for their lakes and streams. The problem seems to be getting worse as the government just turns its back and lets our water be contaminated even more.
To show how unimportant this is to our government, the amendments to the Clean Air Act of 1991 specified that the EPA should determine if mercury emissions should be regulated and the decision was to be made by 1993. Guess what? They missed the deadline. They had two whole years just to figure out if mercury emissions should be regulated and they didn't even care enough to answer that question in two years. Matter of fact, they missed many deadlines after that too.
Who is at the highest risk for the harmful effects of mercury? Pregnant women and their children are at highest risk. Over 70,000 children born each year are at risk because their mother ate too much fish and seafood. What kind of effects does this have? Well, methyl mercury, the most damaging form of mercury can damage the nervous system, the immune system and alter genetics. In other words, it can deform your child among other things and it happens a lot more often than you think.
If you talk to someone from the EPA about this they will tell you that most of our mercury here in the states comes floating through the air from other countries and contaminates our water. Apparently, they have never been to Florida and seen the mercury that is coming from the sugar cane refineries and running directly into the water.
While I talk about the sugar refineries in Florida a lot here, thousands of companies are producing mercury and putting it in our water systems. One way to help with this issue is to use natural gas. The best way to help with the mercury issue is to fine the companies that are polluting our water ways tens of thousands of dollars a day until it is resolved. Again, the government says it doesn't want anything that they do to affect the jobs of these companies that pollute. If the truth be known they just don't want to lose the tax money of those companies that pollute even though it is costing us our youth.
Here is another part of the puzzle, so to speak. The big name companies and associations in bass fishing think it is going to hurt the sport if the population of bass fishermen knows the truth about mercury. They say the exaggerations of mercury's effect and pollution will cause anglers to not fish for bass. First, let me explain this...I have seen no exaggerations of mercury poisoning, if anything there has been a cover-up. Second, most bass anglers that I know of hardly ever eat the fish they catch. Third, you need to be more concerned about the health of the fisherman than your own greed and making money and worrying that the truth about mercury will come out.
Charles E. White has fished 50 years for bass from California to Florida. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he has caught over 6,000 bass. His biggest bass is a 12 pound 14 ounce that hangs on his wall in his office. His tips and techniques have helped many people who have never fished for bass before become successful anglers.
He also has fished with the Pros in Florida. For more free bass fishing tips visit his website is at: [http://www.bassfishingchronicle.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_E._White