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Sport fish
lovers should avoid eating too much trout from Mill Creek near Moab or bass
from Gunlock Reservoir near St. George.
Monday, the state Division of Water Quality, in cooperation with the
state Health Department, issued Utah's first-ever advisories for mercury in
fish. With the declaration, Utah becomes the 46th state that has issued
warnings about fish with worrisome levels of mercury contamination.
"I wouldn't hesitate to have a meal," said John Whitehead, an
environmental scientist with DWQ. "But I wouldn't have five meals a month."
The warnings come after a renewed interest in monitoring the state's
environment for mercury. The U.S. Geological Survey released test results
earlier this year that showed the Great Salt Lake has the highest levels of
toxic mercury ever found in the United States.
Edible fish don't inhabit that lake, but mercury's toxic cousin,
methylmercury, can be found in popular fishing waters throughout the state.
It builds up in the food chain, increasing the risk of damage to the
brain and nervous system for those exposed to high levels, especially babies
and young children. For most people, eating fish from contaminated lakes and
streams, month after month, is the most likely source of exposure.
The DWQ enlisted state wildlife researchers to help catch fish from five
key locations. Eleven samples of rainbow trout caught in East Canyon
Reservoir tested below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's level of
concern, 0.3 parts per million.
Logistical problems have delayed catfish sampling from the Green River
in Desolation Canyon. And the need for more samples from Lake Powell have
delayed any decision on whether to issue an advisory for that popular
fishing spot.
Levels came in above EPA's standard for seven fish caught in Gunlock and
five in Mill Creek. Notices will be posted at those sites.
DWQ Director Walt Baker noted that more samples will be analyzed from
areas throughout the state. A working group of government, advocacy
organizations and industry is being formed to plan a strategy for learning
how bad the contamination is, what's causing it and how to deal with it.
"We're not at this point trying to find a smoking gun," said Baker.
Barbara Morra, who serves on two water boards in Grand County, called
the findings "surprising." She plans to bring up the contamination at an
upcoming meeting.
"It does concern me because I know mercury causes problems: It's toxic,"
she said.
Ed Kent, chairman of the Utah Anglers Coalition, said it is not time yet
to raise a red flag, although it is important for the public to be informed.
"From a health perspective, I would want to be made aware if there was a
problem," said Kent, whose group has 3,000 members. "I do keep fish, and I
eat them."
He welcomed more study of Utah's mercury problem, as did Tim Wagner of
the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club, an environmental group.
"Maybe this is starting to show what we thought all along," he said,
"that the reason Utah hasn't issued any advisories is because it hasn't been
doing any testing."
fahys@sltrib.com
Fish advisory
Eat no more than two 8-ounce servings a month of largemouth bass from
Gunlock
Reservoir
Limit consumption of brown trout from Mill Creek to three 8-ounce meals
a month
A 4-ounce serving of fish once a month - about the size of a deck of
cards - is all of either fish that should be eaten by women who may become
pregnant, women who are pregnant, nursing mothers and young children.
Exact mercury readings and other information is available at:
http://www.deq.utah.gov/issues/Mercury/fishadvisories.htm.
Another good resource is:
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advisories/factsheet.pdf. |