Seafood may be good for you but a local educational campaign is addressing more about eating fish
 

According to the GA Dept of Natural Resources (DNR), the contaminants of concern cover the entire Turtle River System from the Jekyll pier to parts of Terry Creek, Dupree Creek, and Back River. “The contaminants in these areas,” says Dr. Randy Manning, Coordinator of the EPD’s Environmental Toxicology Program, “are PCB’s, mercury, and toxaphene and related compounds. These contaminants can cause serious effects and the public needs to take the recommended limits on consumption of fish in these areas seriously.”
In general, most people can safely consume four meals per month of blue crab, red drum, spotted seatrout, or flounder from the advisory areas and one meal per month of black drum, spot, whiting, striped mullet, croaker, and sheepshead.
Exceptions are that spot should not be eaten from Terry and Dupree Creeks north of the Torras Causeway up to Back River and mullet, croaker, and spot should not be eaten from parts of the Turtle River system.  Consumption of shrimp from Purvis and Gibson Creeks is now limited to one meal per month.

     Gary Hummel, Environmental Health Specialist of the Glynn County Health Dept, urges people not to stop eating seafood, because it is a most important source of nutrition, but to adhere to the published guide lines -- particularly women who are pregnant and children under the age of seven.
“Another important consideration is the size of the fish," says Manning. "People like to eat big fish, but the older and larger fish are likely to be more contaminated than younger smaller fish simply because they had had more time for the poisons to bio-accumulate. Consume the small fish and throw the big ones back."

The GEC has contracted with Clyde Williams to do public outreach with the educational flyer. Williams had a 42 year career in public education in McIntosh and Glynn counties.  He will concentrate on teaching people how to properly clean and prepare locally caught fish.   "Some people want to cook them with everything on, head and all," says Williams. "Don't. Take off the head, remove the guts and remove the fatty dark parts and the skin. Those are the parts that will hold the most poison. The safest ways to cook the fish are broiling, baking or grilling.  Pan-frying is the worst way to cook the fish, because the poison stays right there in the pan.”

Williams and Spud Woodward, the Assistant Director for Marine Fisheries at CRD, are working on a plan to do hands-on education for the local community.  Groups wishing to schedule such a program may contact the Glynn Environmental Coalition at 466-0934.  Other contact numbers are 264-3931 for the Glynn County Health Department and 264-7218 for the Coastal Resources Division.