Bay fish- Safe to eat?

So, I like eating Sturgeon and Halibut.  I hope to catch some one day.  I've looked up the mercury levels, but what I'm concerned with is the environment I plan on catching these fish in, i.e. Sturgeon in the South Bay or Delta, and Halibut in the bay.  Are there other effects the environment can have on fish besides mercury?

Are the Halibut migratory?  Do they come into the bay at a certain time of year? 

Do you guys that are lucky enough to catch Sturgeon eat them?  Or is it a catch and release situation? 

I guess I just would like to know what the majority of people do.  I realize there are some nasty waters these fish come out of, but if you guys think it doesnt effect the fish in a major way and you guys eat them, so will I!  And yes, if all my friends were jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge I would too.  Thanks for the info fellas. 

well here is my logic. I have no clue it it it correct or sound....just how I feel.....I will eat halibut caught in the bay. I try to limit the eating of them. But my limited skill in catching them seems to take care of that. As for dino's I won't eat them. I can't wrap my head around eating a fish that is 20 or 40 years old that is a bottom feeder. Add to it the locations that I fish for them (alameda, oakland and oyster pt) all are/have heavy commercial/military use. I just can't justify it.

Again, I am sure ppl will say "Eric you are full of shit, they are fine" which is totally cool. Just think of all the fish I release for others to catch!

Actually, I am looking fwd to seeing others .02 cents.

Do what makes you happy. I live in a gold mining area I know the bass have large amounts of mercury, Probably trout too. I release almost all of what I catch around here. I eat almost everything I catch over there including my first ever sturg.Water might be worse in the bay but I don't get many successful trips so its a number game I guess.

I agree with EWB, I think I'll try and limit the Halibut and say no thanks to the Sturgeon....If I catch either of the two.  Huge IF there.  I live 5 minutes from the Dumbarton bridge and am planning on getting after some sturgeon soon.  I spent a good chunk of my childhood running around on salt pond levee roads in the south bay/Dumbarton area, eating a Sturgeon out of that area.....I'll let him swim back to his underwater fort made of tires, shopping carts and diapers that I imagine he lives in.  IF i ever catch one.  Thanks a bunch guys!

I agree with EWB, I think I'll try and limit the Halibut and say no thanks to the Sturgeon....If I catch either of the two.  Huge IF there.  I live 5 minutes from the Dumbarton bridge and am planning on getting after some sturgeon soon.  I spent a good chunk of my childhood running around on salt pond levee roads in the south bay/Dumbarton area, eating a Sturgeon out of that area.....I'll let him swim back to his underwater fort made of tires, shopping carts and diapers that I imagine he lives in.  IF i ever catch one.  Thanks a bunch guys!

Well you can catch halibut in monterey beach, which is not in the bay.  Eat those!!!

Certainly the halibut are migratory- as we see them with sea lice early in season. I'd be there's a population that stays in the bay year round (like SD bay)...

Sounds like you don't mind being cautious, so that's good.  I did allot of online research a few years ago and was able to actually see some of the Mercury in flesh data from the state. I had to dig pretty deep to find it, and couldn't direct you to it without allot of work.

What I came out of it with was for me a 58yr old guy, (with my lack of fishing time and skill)I'd really have to get lucky to be able to affect my health by eating local caught fish.

So a couple things, the guidelines in the DFG fishing reg booklet is what I go by for the most part.
Pregnant and nursing women is another thing. Mercury is really detrimental to brain development so they should just skip fish unless they really know it's on a safe list, this is reflected in the DFG guidelines as well.

The fish in some of the fresh water lakes have mercury that is really high like more than 3 times higher than the recommended limit.

As for as other chemical hazards in fish, well yeah I'm sure there is but seems most of the info available is on mercury as it is considered the worst.

Sturgeon is about as good as it gets so I eat it but not allot.

Here's a link with some good info
http://oehha.ca.gov/fish/hg/index.html

great post.  I don't fish the bay, but if I did I would follow your logic...release the dino's, enjoy the occasional migrant (but's, salmon, striper).  As with Wildernesshunter, some of our areas up here have high mercury form the mines, so I limit my intake from those waters.

It is good to be concerned, and if you ate fish from the bay every couple of days you should probably be concerned.  However, in all the discussions we've had on this site about mercury poisoning from eating fish, I haven't seen one documented case of it in modern times - except for actor Jeremy Piven who ate sushi twice a day for twenty years.

How many sturgeon and Halis do you guys catch?  IMO, you're in much more danger driving to and from the Bay Area launch site.

At my rate of fishing these days, I'd eat most of what I caught in the bay.

dave I totally agree. Maybe I am just grossed out as I sit on anchor at OAP and watch trash, condoms and hypedermic needles float by thinking....this fish has been living in this crap for how long? I am sure its all mental...

Sturgeon coming out of the bay are about as wrecked as Xtina Aguilera's "interpretation" of the Star Spangled Banner.    Just a bad idea, don't do it.

Sturgeon coming out of the bay are about as wrecked as Xtina Aguilera's "interpretation" of the Star Spangled Banner.    Just a bad idea, don't do it.

She should be exiled for that.

Don't listen to me for any health advice, ok?  BUT...  I have to point out...

Even unhealthy fish (in my mind only, perhaps) are better for you than most any processed, or fast food.  What kinda beef is in that Taco, anyway?  Surprise!  It's not even beef, in the strictest sense of the word.  Yet every day people stand in line to spend their money there!  Amazing.

Every few years there's another outbreak and people die from hamburgers or something.  Never heard of anyone dying from eating a halibut.

Never heard anyone ask about how many tacos are ok to eat a month?  Much less wonder about the long-term effects.

OK Eric, guilty as charged.     You totally know I eat waaay to much fast/junk food without even thinking of the harm compared to a bay sturgeon.  That's a good point you bring up

Dr. Eric,

Im AM following your health advice, good points. And i did way worse things then Mercury when I was in high school

I consumed 6 large halibut form the SF Bay last year, (none of which were caught on my yak, boooo) Sometimes eatinng it day after day.

I felt great after those dinner, and no blow out later that night like Taco Hell will give ya!

i ate a stripper form the SF bay too, I mean striper..

Halibut for weeks.