High mercury levels found in SoCal fish

From the San Bernardino Sun:

Fish in many freshwater lakes and reservoirs tested in Southern California have highly elevated levels of mercury and some fish also have high levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), according to a report issued by the State Water Resources Control Board in May. The levels are high enough to set off alarm bells for health officials, but anglers aren’t being asked to stop eating their catch.

Yet.

The report gives data from the first year of a two-year study being conducted by the SWRCB and represents the largest survey ever done on contaminants in sportfish from the state’s lakes and reservoirs. The first year of data showed methylmercury and PCB levels in commonly consumed sportfish – catfish, largemouth bass, bullhead, and carp – are likely to be very high in many waters, and anglers should be prudent about eating these fish and follow some simple, common-sense guidelines until the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) gets more data that might lead to official health advisories and warnings.

“It’s a red flag, for sure, but it’s not a storm warning,” said Dave Clegern, a spokesman for the SWRCB. “People should be concerned, but not panicked. We certainly don’t want to discourage people from eating fish because it is an important part of a healthy diet.” The preliminary results show that it’s very likely that many, if not most, of the major fishing reservoirs in the region have levels of mercury that eventually will require some health advisories.

Read more from the San Bernardino Sun by clicking here.

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