The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the Arizona Game and Fish Department has issued three new advisories that recommend limited consumption of Largemouth Bass from Apache Lake, Striped Bass from Lake Pleasant, and Flathead Catfish from Bartlett Lake to protect public health.
According to ADEQ, the advisories are based on recent analysis of data from fish tissue samples taken from these lakes, which showed these fish have elevated levels of mercury.
ADEQ is encouraging residents and visitors to Arizona to continue to continue to recreate at each of these lakes. Fishing, bird watching, and swimming are not affected by this advisory.
Any potential health risks from eating fish on ADEQ’s advisory list are based on long-term consumption, not eating fish occasionally.
A fish consumption advisory is a public health alert that recommends amounts of fish to eat when ADEQ determines contaminant levels in fish tissues taken from Arizona waterways exceed state health standards. These advisories are not for commercial fish sold in markets.
Mercury in the environment can come from various sources. Ingesting mercury can cause numerous health problems such as damage to the central nervous system. Infants and pregnant or nursing mothers are considered most at risk to possible health effects. Fish can accumulate elevated levels of mercury when larger fish consume smaller fish and insects.