State Officials Announce Fish Consumption Advisory for Echo Canyon Reservoir
October 11, 2007—Denver—The
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the
Colorado Division of Wildlife today announced a fish
consumption advisory for Echo Canyon Reservoir in Archuleta
County due to elevated mercury levels detected in fish
tissue samples. The fish tissue testing is part of an ongoing, five-year
sampling plan of approximately 120 water bodies in the
state. More than 60 water bodies now have lab testing
completed as part of the study. Of those, 18 (less than
one-third) have required fish consumption advisories for
mercury. Water bodies with fish consumption advisories are
listed on the state’s Web site at
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/wq/FishCon/FishCon.html. Each fish consumption advisory includes consumption
recommendations in three categories: for the general
population; children age 6 and younger; and women who are
pregnant, nursing or who may become pregnant. The advisory posted for Echo Canyon recommends that children
age 6 or younger do not consume any large mouth bass
regardless of size, or yellow perch or black crappie larger
than 7 inches. Pregnant women, nursing women and women who
plan on becoming pregnant are advised not to consume yellow
perch larger than 7 inches or largemouth bass larger than 14
inches, and that they limit consumption of black crappie
larger than 7 inches and largemouth bass smaller than 14
inches to one meal per month. For the general population,
the recommendation is not to consume more than one meal per
month of yellow perch or black crappie larger than 7 inches
and large mouth bass larger than 14 inches. The general
population also is advised not to consume more than two
meals per month of largemouth bass smaller than 14 inches. In addition to the new posting at Echo Canyon Reservoir,
fish tissue sampling also found a 38-inch tiger muskie with
a slightly elevated mercury level at Gross Reservoir in
Boulder County. However, state wildlife officials confirm
there is a very small population of older tiger muskie in
Gross Reservoir and tiger muskie have not been stocked at
this reservoir in years. Three trout were tested from Gross
Reservoir and did not have elevated mercury levels. Trout in
Colorado have not been found to have elevated mercury and
are fit for human consumption. It will be some time before
the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environment again sample tiger muskie or
other fish at Gross Reservoir. Other new fish sampling results include 11 water bodies
where fish consumption advisories for mercury are not
needed: Big Creek Reservoir, Boedecker Reservoir, Cherry
Creek Reservoir, Douglas Reservoir, Eagle River, Elkhead
Reservoir, Lake Granby, Lon Hagler Reservoir, Smith
Reservoir, Wellington #4 Reservoir and the Yampa River. The presence of elevated mercury levels in fish has been a
national concern for some time. The fish consumption
advisories are a caution to the public and are not
mandatory. Mercury poisoning can affect humans of all ages. However,
pregnant women and children under age 6 are especially
susceptible, because mercury can harm developing nervous
systems in fetuses and young children. Adults exposed to
high mercury levels also can suffer from central nervous
system and cardiovascular problems.
Mercury is more prominent among larger predator fish. It is
an organic form of mercury that bioaccumulates in the food
chain, and large predatory fish are at the top of the food
chain in lakes and reservoirs. It is this organic form of
mercury that is a threat to humans when ingested in fish
tissue at concentrations higher than recommended amounts.
Inorganic mercury is found in reservoirs and lakes around
the state in very small amounts and small mercury
concentrations in water are not a threat to humans when
ingested. --30-- |
