Burmese Refugees Fish The Niagara River

A generation ago, the Vietnamese community utilized this section of the waterfront to fish for their meals. Buffalo has relatively few new immigrants compared to other cities in the United States. It's good to see the Burmese here and I hope their transition to life in Buffalo is not difficult.

This story just makes me very happy. I am very proud to say that I am one of the few Americans to have made it to Burma under the current regime and fell very much in love with the country (not the government I assure you), but even more so with it's people. Any population of individuals and families from Burma, large or small, can only be a good thing, and great to see in Buffalo.

Isn't there a recommendation that one shouldn't eat more than 1 fish a year from the lake because of toxic pollutants?

In a nation mired in recession if not depression, unemployment rates between 8% and higher in some areas, it seems to me that our borders should be closed to all immigrants legal and illegal or even H1B work Visas.

HF, good question. I heard that it was one fish a month. I discussed the issue with a City official this morning and he was not aware that the refugees were fishing so much. He also told me that if the DEC says that you can eat one fish a week, you might want to eat less than that. Also, he believed that the stats were drawn on an average male - women and children are more at risk.

From Robin at Riverkeeper:

Contaminants of concern in New York State fish are mercury, PCBs, cadmium, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, dioxin, and mirex. In general, you should limit fish consumption to no more than one meal (one half pound) fish per week of fish taken from the state's freshwaters. Bigger fish have higher levels of these chemicals because they accumulate as you go up the food chain. For upper Niagara River fish specifically, you should completely avoid eating American eel, channel catfish, carp, lake trout over 25 inches, brown trout over 20 inches, chinook salmon and white perch. Limit intake of white suckers, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and smaller lake trout to no more than one meal per month. In the lower Niagara River, eat no more than one meal of carp per month. It is also recommended that you avoid eating any carp from the Buffalo River. According to a Riverkeeper study, fish in the Buffalo River still show a high tumor rate (over 80% for bullheads and 45% for pan fish).

Please visit http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/aoc/niagara.html and http://www.bnriverkeeper.org/programs/tributary/buffalo_river/Buffalo_river.htm to view Remedial Action Plans for the Niagara River and Buffalo River.

Interesting how history repeats itself. The same questions were asked when the Vietnamese were fishing there daily. I used to see them pull carp out of the river and into styrofoam containers. I wonder if any studies were conducted on the health of that immigrant community.

There must be quite a few spots around this area where the fish are at least less toxic. Maybe some group with expertise about that could make some pamphlets with maps and explanations, and maybe translation into other languages.
Obviously transportation and access might be issues, but the first step is awareness.

Also, are there some types of fish that are less risky to eat than others, even in the Niagara? If so, that would be good info to convey as well, with pictures of fish types.

I am disappointed that Buffalo Rising did not include any articles about Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies or other events in Buffalo today. It is poor practice to snub veterans and those who have died defending our country.

Go ahead, mock me, but I am a patriotic american who sincerely believes that we have enough struggling citizens and we need to do better by them.

We need to be citizens of the United States before we are citizens of the world.

QueenCity,
I gather that your ancestors were somehow here before everyone else and didn`t come from other countries.

ITS A BIKE PATH DAMMIT NOT A PLAYGROUND!

FTA "the children played games on the bike path". Why do people think it is OK for kids to play on the bike path? Is it OK for them to play in the street? When I came through here at 20+mph and almost ran over one of these kids it wasn't that cool.

Kids don't belong on a bike path. Pedestrians do not belong in the bike lanes of a bike path. People with fishing poles are dangerous near a bike path (I almost go t hooked by a guy casting). In one of the above photos, you can see a stroller left partially on a bike lane on the bike path. Please raise awareness of this.

"Go ahead, mock me, but I am a patriotic american"

So you are proud of where you were randomly born...

No need to mock you, you already did that for us.

Go team America!

Queenseye, great blog! It wonderfully evokes the way immigrants and refugees can change and revitalize our community. I work at the International Institute, and teach a newly arrived refugee ESL class. The Burmese are friendly, resilient, incredible people.

A fishing license would limit this behavior, or perhaps it can be limited to certain locations.

QC, Many of these people are coming to the US because their lives were at risk in their homeland. I apreciate the patriotisim but we should be human beings ahead of being patriotic.
Besides, having people move to Buffalo can only improve our town. They are moving into homes that are not in high demand, starting businesses and improving the quality of life in struggling neighborhoods. Dont forget that Buffalos glory days were built on large waves of immigration.

I spoke to someone w while back from Canada's equivalent to the FDA and it's kinda funny the differences of how the US and Canada test their fish for pollution. Canadians will test the portions that humans would eat (fillet), while the us will grind up the entire fish and test that. The results from Canada is that the fish is ok to eat, the results from the US is that it's not.

Just a slight clarification: Vive La Casa specializes in helping would-be asylees (people trying to find refuge in America/Canada, who do not yet have legal status to do so.)

The International Institute of Buffalo, along with three other local agencies, resettles refugees. Unlike asylees, Refugees receive legal status in this country before coming. They are certified by the State Department, and arrive legally able to work, go to school, etc. There are agencies resettling Refugees in Buffalo: The International Institute, Catholic Charities, Jewish Family Services, and Journey's End.

yeah the meat of the fish is much cleaner than the fatty section of the organs. Canada does still have commercial fishing on the lakes. While they will not give out any new permits to do so, any existing permits and companies can operate.

Also if you are concerned about safety i would avoid bottom feeders. Carp, Sheephead, things that basically vacuum the dirt and toxins are often much worse than eating Bass, Perch, Walleye or predator fish.

Correction from Robbyn Drake of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper:

According to the 2008-9 NYSDOH Advisories, in addition to the general advisory of no more than 1 meal per week of fish from NYS freshwaters, WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE AND CHILDREN UNDER AGE 15 SHOULD NOT EAT ANY FISH from listed waters, which include the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, Buffalo River, the Barge Canal portion of Tonawanda Creek and Cayuga Creek.

The advisories for upper and lower Niagara River (divided by Niagara Falls) were reversed in the previous post. For upper Niagara River and Barge Canal, eat no more than one meal of carp per month. In the lower Niagara River, you should completely avoid eating channel catfish, carp, lake trout over 25 inches, brown trout over 20 inches and white
perch. Limit intake of chinook salmon, coho salmon over 25 inches, white suckers, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, smaller brown trout, and smaller lake trout to no more than one meal per month. These reflect changes from the 2007-8 advisories. Also note that DOH recommends no fish of any species be consumed from Cayuga Creek in Niagara Falls due to dioxin contamination.

Our waterways have come a long way over the past 50 years. You can no longer light the Buffalo River on fire, and our mighty Niagara no longer shows an oil sheen from shore to
shore. The fisheries in our region are recovering. However, we have a long road to travel before these persistent contaminants are a distant shadow of the past. As the long term cleanup of our region continues and we work towards the day when all fish can be safely consumed from all waterways, we can safeguard the health of our families by following current advisories. For a copy of the NYSDOH advisories, visit the NYSDOH website at www.nyhealth.gov/environmental/outdoors/fish/fish.htm

Welcome to Buffalo! says another immigrant, and hope to see your great culture being melted into our existing one will be exciting to see for years to follow. With an ever growing population of retirement boomers we need all kinds of new and young hands on deck!
Is there a possibility for creation of a few new jobs in educating the public what kind of fish we can eat, when to eat, and perhaps even put up some cleaning places with the info along the shoreline?
How about a shoreline educator on a bike- an expert fisherman- fluent in a few languages- helping with the catch of the day? "QueenCity" could be the coordinator of such an effort...? Too fishy for "QueenCity"?

The refuge community in Buffalo is truly a vibrant addition to the city and is also the only growing demographic in recent years. I love seeing all the diversity driving/walking through the West Side and hope that as these refugee neighborhoods begin to truly take root and develop a sense of community they will prove to be an invaluable resource in the recovery of our city. I just wish I spoke a few more languages to help organizations like VIVE and II with translation services.

Thanks to everyone who posted info about what is and isn't safe to eat out of the river. I'll be sharing your information with my class next week.