Image courtesy of DepositPhotos
October. In this month of Halloween, thoughts might turn toward ghosts, vampires and skeletons. Zombies, too. October is also Seafood Awareness Month. Now, please allow me to draw the connection between zombies and fish.
Zombies are known for rampaging through communities in search of their favorite meal — brains. Ever wonder what they do in their downtime? Netflix? Knitting? What about fishing? Maybe zombies spend a relaxing afternoon on the lake, dropping a line. If they hook a legally sized fish, they might tuck into its brains. In doing so, the zombies could be swallowing something that could make their living-dead condition worse — methamphetamine.
A story on CNN last summer about trout becoming addicted to methamphetamine prompted a concerned question to our Eat Wisconsin Fish Specialist Sharon Moen. Treatment systems remove all kinds of bad stuff from water, but drugs can sometimes escape that ministration.
Wanting to reassure that questioner looking to enjoy local, healthy and delicious Wisconsin fish, but worried about inadvertent drug consumption, Moen checked with our fisheries specialist as well as our emerging contaminant scientist. Both said if a person avoided eating the brains and liver of fish — where contaminants and, apparently drugs, accumulate — there was no danger.
That’s good news for someone wanting a plate full of yummy fish. Try these recipes using Wisconsin fish. And keep those seafood questions coming to Moen. She’d love to talk with you, maybe even about zombies.