"Fishermen Disregard New Bedford Harbor’s Lingering Toxic Past"

"Officials keep dredging up PCBs and posting signs at New Bedford Harbor—but studies suggest anglers are eating too much of their contaminated catch.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — It was about 4:30 p.m. on a Friday, and Arthur Burton was standing on a pier by Fort Tabor in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with a fishing pole.

He fishes all over the area, from Rhode Island to Cape Cod, but today he decided to cast his line into waters that flow in and out of the New Bedford Harbor.

Burton is looking for stripers, or striped bass, blues, also known as bluefish, and tautog. If it's the right size, the fish will come home with him. If they are too small, back in the water they go. But one thing that isn't weighing into his decision: pollutants in the fish."

Heather Mongilio reports for Environmental Health News July 12, 2018.

Source: EHN, 07/12/2018