when that was probably a good idea for many, it is no longer safe to cook and eat fish with the head attached.

I worked for the state of Washington in the Environmental Quality Dept. which doesn't seem to exist anymore and I can't recall the exact name of the agency, it was a long time ago. I was involved with helping to create signs in a variety of languages warning people not to use any parts of the fish than the flesh due to toxins/heavy metals that collect in the head and fatty tissue & guts of the fish, and the lower in the water column in which they exist would give more reason for concern. They were warning pregnant women to eat only a given amt per week and that a regular diet of the local fish was not safe. There was a large population of Pacific Asian Islanders found to be living on freshwater fish and cooking/consuming whole fish. I was there as an ethnographer trying to help narrow down the languages to be put on the signs near fishing access points.

That was for the Spokane River but I can imagine that would be true for most freshwater fish in most places anymore.

I would never eat a fish that was cooked whole for that reason.

it is still gutted and you don't actually eat the head - and what fats are there that aren't in the flesh in general (other than the tiny brain and who eats that?)?

Back in the 90's. I was working in Hong Kong and my client took me and other people out in water, about 30 minutes from Hong Kong where people lived on a man-made floating platform which was a sea food restaurant. The platform had cages in the water where live fish were kept. They took the fish out and cooked them for you right there, every type of fish plus large tiger shrimp, cooked many different ways. Best of all was a large sea bass, it was scaled and gutted but the head was still on. The fish was steamed in a bamboo steamer with lots of fresh ginger inserted in slits in the skin. The whole fish was served at our table and the server poured soy sauce over the fish when the steamer lid was removed. Washed down with lots of good Hong Kong beer. Best fish I ever ate.

When I got home to Texas, my husband was going down to the Gulf to fish, I told him; don't come back without a large redfish He bought the fish back and I cooked in the same style, he loved it, too. I have not made a fish this was way since. You need a really fresh fish and that is hard to find around here especially a redfish or a sea-bass.

I was doubtful he'd find a suitable fish, but he just brought one in, 2 lb wild red snapper! From grocery, clerk said 'just came in from Florida,' so not likely caught today as we're in MD, so we'll see!

Less waste that way, and the "cheeks" are delectable. Bones are a minor PITA, but easily dealt with in most species. Besides, you know the bones are there but choking on a bone when you expect a clean fillet is something you really don't want.

We used to catch bluefish, sea bass, striped bass, porgies, summer & winter flounders,and a few others around here, but fish stocks are getting pretty low. Large striped bass have a good dose of mercury, too.