By Will Collette
While the trout stocked annually in our local ponds by the
Department of Environmental Management is safe, most other fish caught in those waters
should be eaten only with caution.
Due to mercury contamination, the RI Department of Health
advises pregnant women to avoid eating any
freshwater fish in Rhode Island
RIDEM’s 2012 guide to Rhode
Island freshwater fishing (click here to read the whole guidebook) suggests
you avoid eating those fish that tend to collect the highest concentrations of
mercury – bass, pike and pickerel.
They suggest limiting your consumption of black crappie and eel to once a month:
For Watchaug Pond, RIDEM says to limit consumption of any fish (except stocked trout) to once a month.
There are more fishing precaution notices on page 8 of the
RIDEM guidebook.
I’m sure that once the Y-Gate transaction is completed,
Watchaug Pond will be immediately transformed into a fishing wonderland when we
see the Charlestown Land Trust remove all the old septic systems, derelict
buildings and other pollution sources from the Westerly YMCA’s abandoned
campground.
