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Risk from eating fish from the Arowhenua Rohe in perspective
Putting risk from eating fish from the Arowhenua Rohe into perspective
A recent report by the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) entitled “Risk assessment of contaminants in kai from the Arowhenua rohe – Summary report” may have caused some unnecessary alarm ahead of the 2011 Christmas holidays.
“Although the report is factually correct as you might expect from an organisation as respected as NIWA, I wanted to be sure the report and the extent of the risk from manmade contaminants, heavy metals and other toxins, was taken in clear perspective,” says Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury District Health Board’s medical officer of health.
“Ahead of the Christmas holidays when many people will plan on going fishing, I wanted to be clear that there is only a significant risk where an individual consumes more than one meal of fish (including eel/tuna) each month from an affected river for the whole of an average lifetime.”
“While we, as a community, should be monitoring, minimising and mitigating contamination of our waterways, people should not be unduly concerned about occasionally eating fish caught in river catchments in affected parts of South Canterbury,” says Dr Humphrey.
The rivers most affected and described within NIWA’s report include the Waihi and Opihi rivers as well as the Temuka River below Pleasant Point.
ENDS
Canterbury DHB
CDHB
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) is a Christchurch, New Zealand based hospital and healthcare provider for the
Canterbury region of New Zealand. Our region extends from Kekerengu in the North, to Rangitata in the South and Arthurs Pass in the West and comprises the six Territorial Local Authorities of Kaikoura, Hurunui, Waimakariri, Christchurch City, Selwyn and Ashburton.
We collaborate with other health and disability organisations, stakeholders and our community to decide what health and disability services are needed and how to best use the funding we receive from Government to improve, promote and protect the health, wellbeing and independence of our population.
At the Canterbury DHB, our vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Canterbury.
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