Video: Passaic River Keeper

[Eskimo]

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The Atlantic online posted a 5-minute video about the contamination crisis facing the final 8-miles of the Passaic River. I thought some of you may find this interesting.

Here's the description of the video:

New Jersey’s Passaic River is one of the most polluted in the country. During the Industrial Revolution, waste and toxins poured into the river by the ton—while at the same time, Newark and Jersey City prospered. In this short film, River Keeper, Captain Bill Sheehan takes viewers on a tour of the river, explaining who lives along its banks (mostly immigrants) and how it became such a hopeless case. Even with the EPA’s $1.4 billion plan to clean up the lower eight miles of the Passaic, the process will take over a decade. In the end, the fish still might not be safe to eat.


Here's the link:
https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/512129/a-tour-of-one-of-americas-most-toxic-rivers/


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[Skunk City]

Cool vid, Capt. Bill is the man.

[stevebfishing]

Great video
I have worked on the Passaic for 33 years and its a shame that its taken so long for this to happen.
I have caught some big bass there also

Hope it get clean,

Thanks Capt for sharing

[BT67]

It certainly is sad that anyone or any company ever thought that dumping waste in water would somehow get rid of it, what a mess

[Skunk City]

It certainly is sad that anyone or any company ever thought that dumping waste in water would somehow get rid of it, what a mess

What's more sad is the fact that only a small portion of the remediation funds are going towards actually cleaning the river. The majority of it is going to balance the budget in Trenton..

[Esox Luciano]

What's more sad is the fact that only a small portion of the remediation funds are going towards actually cleaning the river. The majority of it is going to balance the budget in Trenton..

Thats definitely the inconvenient truth right there. Gotta love Cristie:confused::mad:!!

[tradingfrank27]

Thats definitely the inconvenient truth right there. Gotta love Cristie:confused::mad:!!

People have to understand the labor cost and the union in this area. Why do you think Giant Stadium cost more than the one in Dallas yet it looks 10 years older when it's newer? Regardless of who's side you're on, it's just expensive to get anything done in this area.

So does this mean the stripers that roam in that area in the spring will be the same group of fish people catch and eat in bay?

[Ken Lyons]

I remember reading an editorial written in one of the local papers, Garfield, Clifton I don't know, expressing the opinion that the Passaic River should reserved for industrial use and recreation should not be allowed. That was 1923 I believe.

[briansnat]

I remember reading an editorial written in one of the local papers, Garfield, Clifton I don't know, expressing the opinion that the Passaic River should reserved for industrial use and recreation should not be allowed. That was 1923 I believe.

They pretty much did that. As bad as the river is today, it isn't close to what it was in the 60 and 70's.

[Skunk City]

So does this mean the stripers that roam in that area in the spring will be the same group of fish people catch and eat in bay?

Ding Ding Ding!!

[Chrisper4694]

Ding Ding Ding!!

and the stripers eat the clams in there too...i don't have to tell you about the clams do i????

[Eskimo]

So does this mean the stripers that roam in that area in the spring will be the same group of fish people catch and eat in bay?

Pretty much.
As far as I can decipher from the Department of Environmental Protection's brochure "Fish Smart, Eat Smart", they recommend the general population eat no more than one meal per month of striped bass from estuarine or marine waters. Children, pregnant women, nursing women and women of childbearing age are advised to completely avoid striped bass.

They only specific instructions I can find for tidal Passaic River is for shellfish from Garfield to Newark Bay and that's an absolute 'do not touch!' applying to everybody - so I wouldn't assume the fish there are less contaminated.

If we learned anything from 9/11 when the EPA assured everyone that the air at ground zero was safe to breathe; it's if the government tells you it's bad - it's probably a lot worse.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/dsr/fishadvisories/2016-fish-advisories.pdf
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[Dan_E26]

I've heard lot of bad stuff about the Passaic but I live and fish near the source of the river and it can be quite nice. I've never eaten anything from it though, because, well, it's the Passaic. Is that part of the river also subject to the "do not eat" rule that the nasty lower part has?

[Ken Lyons]

The upper part of the Passaic is enormously productive if that's any clue. The source is a swamp which acts as a great filtration system. It then goes through another in the Big Piece. It's not going to be on any postcards but the fish don't seem to mind.