24 replies to this topic

[osuespirit]

If you want to swim in the lake, I would suggest you do your own research - as the facts do not support that work has been done or is being done to consider the lake safe for recreational swimming based on Mexico's standards. Testing for bacteria is one small piece of what qualifies as safe for swimming. I know articles have been published - and I just finished fact checking one - and it failed.

Only a few days ago, 3 people drowned in the lake - waves sunk the boat - they were 10 meters from shore. This is a shallow lake and can be treacherous.

What about the snakes in the water? No one has said anything about them.

[purebliss]

Regarding the levels of toxic contaminants in the fish, most people do not realize the consequences of accumulated exposure. Speaking from experience, I know the consequences can include auto-immune dysfunction. It can be debilitating, even life-threatening. Tests done in the USA revealed high levels of both lead and mercury in my body. Food is the most frequent source of such toxins. I carry a wallet card for shopping and eating-out that rates the mercury levels in fish. Tuna (Ahi, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Blue and canned albacore) is rated "HIGH" and Carp is rated as "MEDIUM." Personally, I'm not willing to knowingly consume toxic metals at either of these levels.

[BillinaBus]

I've talked with Todd about his work a few times and believe he is well meaning but certainly has an agenda to be helpful to the commercial fisherman. Sometimes it is easy to find 'proof' to back up our original ideas. I for one am not going swimming in this lake until there is definitive independent research done showing it is safe.

[Mad_Max]

What about the snakes in the water? No one has said anything about them.

I found this article today - looks like a cool book - but bookmarked it for later reading. It is a short book - and may actually discuss snakes. here is the link http://manduk54.webs...obrechapala.htm It is, of course, in spanish. But with the google chrome translate feature not an issue except for an occasional mangled word.

[Mad_Max]

Regarding the levels of toxic contaminants in the fish, most people do not realize the consequences of accumulated exposure. Speaking from experience, I know the consequences can include auto-immune dysfunction. It can be debilitating, even life-threatening. Tests done in the USA revealed high levels of both lead and mercury in my body. Food is the most frequent source of such toxins. I carry a wallet card for shopping and eating-out that rates the mercury levels in fish. Tuna (Ahi, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Blue and canned albacore) is rated "HIGH" and Carp is rated as "MEDIUM." Personally, I'm not willing to knowingly consume toxic metals at either of these levels.

Even the US standards are in question - This article is from 2009 - http://e360.yale.edu...s_in_fish/2113/ The FDA has decreed that fish is safe to eat if its flesh contains less than 1 microgram per gram of mercury — a level that many scientists consider too high and that was established using questionable data. In Japan, for example, where per capita fish consumption is high, the government has advised consumers who regularly eat fish to restrict their fish consumption to species with less than 0.3 micrograms per gram of mercury. And even as the American public is being urged to eat more fish as a heart-healthy alternative to meat, the FDA still has not issued any guidelines about which types of fish are relatively low in mercury — sardines, anchovies, herring, sole, wild salmon — and which have high levels: swordfish, shark, sea bass, tilefish, and some species of tuna. This failure has exposed the public to a roulette game of mercury doses and leaves the heavy fish consumer at risk for excess mercury and adverse health effects. Scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimate that as many as 600,000 babies are born each year at risk of neurological and developmental problems because their mothers have high blood mercury levels from fish consumption.