king mackerel

If kings have such high mercury content, why does everyone eat them?

not everyone does....the smaller better eating don't have as much....the bigger do and with anything moderation ....they do make a good mac salad

Oh okay thank you!

That's a good question that I suspect #r or one of the other icthyologiclally learned types will properly address. HOWEVER, my understanding is that it is only the larger ones that contain toxic levels. I suspect the reason for this is that the FDA has set safe levels at <1.00 ppm. One article I read on Wiki said the AVERAGE Mackerel contamination is 0.73 ppm. Thus, common sense would say that if half the fish contain > 0.73 ppm and half that are below that mark, then "probably" it is only the bigger fish that have had sufficient time to accumulate toxic level. What is the cuttoff size? Beats the &@$? out of me. Even at that, the warning is primarily for preganant and nursing women and children. Given those "facts", I personally don't keep one above 11-12 lbs and prefer smaller, if of legal length. :fishing:

[img width=480 height=320]http://i.qkme.me/3smnds.jpg[/img]

This is a 'good read' on the subject...
http://www.southeasternfish.org/Seaf...0of%20View.pdf

:run

According to that, if you stick with <27"' you're ok - which pretty much coincides with my personal preference for <~13/14 lbs

I think the mercury scare is absolute garbage. Where is the evidence of people eating king mackerel and showing some kind of symptom? I think the guidelines underestimate how much mercury it takes to harm most people and do not give enough credit to the body's ability to get rid of the mercury over time.

Give me fish over soda, sweet tea, or french fries any day.

Its not a "scare", it's an advisory. If you chose to take a 30 pound king home & feed it your pregnant wife and kids, that is your choice to make.

Not me. I personally don't like the big ones anyway. And when there are so many other fish that don't have any mercury issues, such as specs, Spanish macs, sheepshead, whiting, etc.., why take chances?

That said, while we know the long term impacts of chronic mercury exposure (go here to see a real life example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease), I don't think the health researchers can really say what the effects of eating say one meal a month is. But once again, when there are so many other fish that don't have issues, its an easy "chance" to avoid.

So if you do not eat or should not eat the larger fish ,what do you do with them ? If you give them away you are in effect subjecting the other person to the mercury .

I've prbably eaten 500 kings in my life, bud I give them ALL away, I keep spanish and (soon to be) cobia of the pier, thats it

[quote author=rodbuilderESM link=topic=3099.msg28295#msg28295 date=1365429305]
I've prbably eaten 500 kings in my life, bud I give them ALL away, I keep spanish and (soon to be) cobia of the pier, thats it
[/quote]

i call bs :poke1: ;)

lol, that taste really has gotten old though

not all kings have mercury

The point I'm trying to make is most people eat more harmful things on a daily basis with no worries.

Minamata is a completely separate case from the levels of mercury we see. Every element on the periodic table is toxic in a high enough dose.

Consider the case of the Faroe Islands. These people ate the flesh and blubber of pilot whales routinely, including pregnant and nursing women. Studies on them have revealed only subtle effects on the highest risk groups if any.

I agree that a pregnant woman shouldn't get down on 40 lb kings all day long. But there is no evidence that I have ever seen of anyone ever being hurt by mercury in king mackerel. Compare that to the incredibly obvious detrimental effects of other things in our diet.

To each, his own. The data are out there. Take it or leave it. Despite the current administration's best efforts, this is still America. :poke1:

In my completely unscientific and unverifiable opinion, I think more people die from eating too many bacon double cheeseburgers than from eating too many predatory fish that contain mercury.

That said, my dad taught me not to kill critters that don't need killing if you aren't going to eat 'em or use them somehow. Hate to see sun-dried kings laying around going to waste...so perhaps those who don't eat them could be encouraged to find a willing recipient before they kill the fish?

Cigaretts contain mercury.. :eat:

Ms Pat's mac salad !!!! and moderation in eating anything :eat: :eat:

ARE YOU READY? HERE IS THE MACK SALAD RECIPE AGAIN... DON'T LOSE IT!

5 TO 10 LBS OF FRESH KINGFISH - NO SKIN, NO BONES, NO BLOOD LINE.... BIG POT OF BOILING WATER WITH 1 CUP LIQUID CRAB BOIL AND SALT TO TASTE. COOK 20 MINUTES OR SO UNTIL DONE THRU, TURN OFF FIRE AND LET SIT IN WATER FOR 30 MINUTES OR SO. DRAIN, FLAKE AND SEASON WITH MRS. DASH ORIGINAL AND TONY C'S SEASONING TO TASTE (ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON OF MRS. DASH AND SAME OF TONY C'S - I USE THE WHITE BOX THAT IS UNSALTED.

IN A BIG BOWL, YOU WILL NEED 2 CUPS OF CHOPPED GREEN BELL PEPPER, 1 CUP CHOPPED RED AND YELLOW BELLPEPPER, 2 BUNCHES OF GREEN ONIONS CHOPPED - INCLUDE MOST OF GREEN PART, 1 CUP CHOPPED WHITE ONION AND 1 CUP CHOPPED RED ONION, AND A WHOLE STALK OF CELERY. MIX ALL OF THIS TOGETHER. PUT THE COOLED SEASONED FISH IN THE BOWL AND MIX WELL. (HINT - PUBLIX HAS IT ALREADY CHOPPED EXCEPT FOR THE CELERY)

DRESSING: 1 LARGE BOTTLE LITE BUTTER MILK RANCH DRESSING, I BOTTLE OF GOLDEN'S VIDALIA ONION VINEGARETTE OR KEN'S SWEET VIDALIA ONION DRESSING; 1 CUP SWEET PICKLE RELISH, 1/3 CUP SPICY MUSTARD, 1 TABLESPOON HORSERADISH, 1/2 CUP OR MORE DICED JALAPENOS FROM JAR NOT FRESH. THIS WILL MAKE ENOUGH FOR TWO BATCHES.

MIX JUST ENOUGH DRESSING TO MAKE SALAD STICK TOGETHER. CHILL. LOCK THE DOORS, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND ENJOY IN SOLITUDE. IF ANYBODY KNOWS YOU GOT SOME, THEY'LL BREAK THE DOOR DOWN TO GET IT! IT'S A REAL HEALTH HAZZARD TO BRING ON A PIER AND NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY

[quote author=Rich1 link=topic=3099.msg28312#msg28312 date=1365435662]
Hate to see sun-dried kings laying around going to waste...so perhaps those who don't eat them could be encouraged to find a willing recipient before they kill the fish?
[/quote]

+a bunch on that

that stuff is delicious i think id almost take it over flounder :eat:......just kidding about the flounder part but it is really good tho

Check the recipe page, lots of good ways to cook kings.

[quote author=rodbuilderESM link=topic=3099.msg28295#msg28295 date=1365429305]
I've prbably eaten 500 kings in my life, bud I give them ALL away, I keep spanish and (soon to be) cobia of the pier, thats it
[/quote]

That's a lot of Kings, youre part Mackeral by now!

I have eaten king mackerel my entire life and have had no side effects. Although the last few years no matter where I am, people around me have been able to look at me and tell the temperature. LOL

[size=12pt]^^^^ LOL
No side effects! What about that insulted jumpsuit yesterday while everybody else wes in shorts and swimwear?[/size]

[quote author=
That said, my dad taught me not to kill critters that don't need killing if you aren't going to eat 'em or use them somehow. Hate to see sun-dried kings laying around going to waste...so perhaps those who don't eat them could be encouraged to find a willing recipient before they kill the fish?
[/quote]
You Dad taught you well !!!

There are no safe levels of mercury for developing fetuses. Mercury is a neuron disruptor. Children under three years of age should be limited to no more than 4 oz./week of adult king mackeral. That said, I'm over 60, and my neuron developement ceased decades ago. Also, decades ago the mercury level was low enough that it was not a concern. No longer true, I'm afraid.

Quote:

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decades ago the mercury level was low enough that it was not a concern.

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Sorry, but I gotta disagree with that last part.
Just because folkses were NOT AWARE of the problem does not mean it did not exist.
Ask those poor souls in Japan :(

I'm pretty sure pollution standards here were MUCH less stringent 20, 30, 60 or whatever years ago too.
Not sure if even the industrial companies knew what all was in the effluent they routinely dumped in the water.
Nowadays the smokestacks even have 'scrubbers' to significantly reduce the amounts of heavy metals in fumes released into the atmosphere.
Not saying "all is clear', but certainly believe we live in a less polluted and more environmentally aware world than we did 40 or 50 years ago :headbang:

Besides we have NO IDEA how much of the mercury and other pollutants are 'naturally occurring'.

Bottom line (for me and my family at least) is I've eaten PLENTY of kings in my life.
So did my pregnant wife and two kids (30 years ago) with NO ill effects (thank God!)
But when my daughter was pregnant last year we purposely served fish other than mackerel for her and her baby (just to be safe ;-)
We CHOOSE to make informed choices based on the best science available.
Better to err on the safe side I guess.

Besides I can't remember the last king over 20# I killed to eat.
I either pop them off or let the sharks get sick from eating them ;-) LOL

FYI here is a chart I came across about 15 years ago relating king mackerel length to weight.
Keep in mind a (LEGAL) 24" FL king weighs about 4# and is about 3 years old.
A 33" FL king is about 10# and 5 or 6 years old (likely to have bred once or twice).
And a 39" FL king is about 17# and close to 10 years old.

[img width=253 height=557]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/pierpounder/Misc/KingMackChart.jpg[/img]

Give the big ones to your ex :headbang:

[quote author=Lagoon Lizard link=topic=3099.msg28413#msg28413 date=1365476424]
Give the big ones to your ex :headbang:
[/quote]

So she can feed them to your kids? ???

so basically don't feed my 17 month old king any more they were the smaller ones and she didn't eat a whole lot but don't feed it to her got it thanks for the info