Burger J
Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 1998 Nov 27;55(6):405-19. doi: 10.1080/009841098158331.
Fishing is often perceived as an enjoyable activity, and eating fish is viewed as safe and healthful. However, with recent increases in consumption advisories because of contamination, the public is faced with whether to eat fish or not. In this article I examine the knowledge base of people fishing along the Savannah River, where South Carolina has issued consumption advisories because of mercury and radionuclides. Over 250 people fishing from the Augusta lock and dam to south of the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) were interviewed from early April until late November 1997. Overall 82% of the fishermen thought the fish were safe to eat, even though 62% had heard some warnings about eating the fish. There were significant differences in whether people thought the fish were safe to eat as a function of income, age, education, and whether they were employed at the Savannah River Site. Significantly more fishermen thought the fish were safe who made more than $20,000/year, were over 34 yr of age, worked at SRS, and had no college or technical training, compared to others. Significantly fewer blacks had heard of consumption advisories than whites, fewer low-income people had heard, and fewer people who had not worked at SRS had heard, compared to others. Most people heard about the advisories from television, newspapers, and other people, although more blacks than whites heard about advisories from the radio. There were also significant ethnic differences in distance traveled, and in whether specific fish were frozen for later consumption. These data can be used to design an information program to target the people who may be most at risk from eating fish obtained from the Savannah River.
钓鱼通常被视为一项令人愉快的活动，而食用鱼类被认为是安全且有益健康的。然而，由于污染导致近期消费建议增多，公众面临着是否食用鱼类的抉择。在本文中，我研究了萨凡纳河沿岸钓鱼者的知识基础，南卡罗来纳州因汞和放射性核素已在该区域发布了消费建议。从1997年4月初到11月末，对从奥古斯塔水闸和大坝到能源部萨凡纳河工厂（SRS）以南钓鱼的250多人进行了访谈。总体而言，82%的渔民认为这些鱼可以安全食用，尽管62%的人曾听闻过一些关于食用这些鱼的警告。人们是否认为鱼可安全食用在收入、年龄、教育程度以及是否受雇于萨凡纳河工厂方面存在显著差异。与其他人相比，年收入超过2万美元、年龄超过34岁、在SRS工作且未接受过大学或技术培训的渔民中，认为鱼可安全食用的人数明显更多。与其他人相比，听说过消费建议的黑人明显少于白人，低收入人群听闻的较少，未在SRS工作的人听闻的也较少。大多数人是从电视、报纸和其他人那里听说这些建议的，不过通过广播听说建议的黑人比白人更多。在出行距离以及是否将特定鱼类冷冻以备日后食用方面也存在显著的种族差异。这些数据可用于设计一个信息项目，以针对那些食用从萨凡纳河捕获的鱼类可能面临最大风险的人群。
