Tell Me a Fish Story — Can You Eat What You Catch?

In summer fishing rodeos, individual anglers or teams compete to catch the heaviest load of fish over a specific time period. Often these anglers just enjoy the competition and release the fish after they have weighed them. But many people like to cook and eat the fresh fish they catch. And for some people fishing is an easy and cheap source of food. Fish, often labeled “brain food,” has always been considered a good, fairly inexpensive source of protein. Today, nutrition experts are focusing even more on the benefits of fish for heart and brain health.

Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children’s proper growth and development. So women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets. But fish can also contain amounts of chemicals that may be unhealthy to pregnant women and young children.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)