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For Immediate Release: 05/01/06

Missouri Adds Species to Fish Consumption Advisory
Updated Guidelines Include Mercury, Lead, PCBs and Chlordane

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has added fish species and updated the list of contaminants in its 2006 Fish Consumption Advisory. This year, DHSS refined the statewide mercury advisory to include Carp, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, and Largemouth Bass. Also added to this year's advisory for the Missouri and Mississippi rivers are Flathead, Blue, and Channel catfish. The annual advisory summarizes contamination levels in fish caught in Missouri lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, and provides recommendations on the amount of different types of fish DHSS believes people can safely consume.

Because of the potential risk mercury poses to the developing nervous system of fetuses and young children, DHSS is continuing to advise sensitive, high-risk populations, including women who are pregnant, who may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and children under 13 years of age to limit consumption to:

• One meal per month: Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, and Smallmouth Bass greater than 12 inches in length;
• Two meals per week: Carp greater than 21 inches in length;
• One meal per week: All other sport fish as per EPA's recommendation (see: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/1-meal-per-week.pdf) because all fish have various levels of mercury. Consumers are advised to restrict fish consumption of locally caught fish to one meal per week.

Annually, DHSS evaluates the level of contaminants in fish to make sure they are safe to eat. Missouri has seen a slow decrease in pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish tissue; however, we continue to see elevated levels of mercury throughout Missouri. Because DHSS uses the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) risk-based methodology and local fish tissue information, Missourians may see changes to the advisory each year. The 2006 advisories are based on the most recent information.

DHSS recommends all consumers be aware of the positive benefits of eating fish and the potential adverse central nervous system and cardiovascular effects from mercury in fish (see: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/effects.htm). Eating smaller fish is safer because they have not lived long enough to accumulate mercury in their bodies.

Also this year, DHSS reevaluated the advisory on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Chlordane was once found in high levels in fish tissue. While fish tissue contaminant concentrations have declined, PCBs and chlordane remain at levels of health concern for sturgeon and sturgeon eggs and several catfish species. DHSS reviewed recent sampling conducted on these rivers and recommend that all consumers limit fish consumption to:

• One meal per month : Shovelnose Sturgeon fish tissue (excluding eggs) due to PCBs and chlordane.
• Do not eat : Sturgeon eggs collected from these waters due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlordane.
• One meal per week : Flathead, Channel, and Blue catfish greater than 17 inches due to PCBs, chlordane, and mercury.

Areas in Missouri with advisories because of lead have not changed. For the Big River (St. Francois and Jefferson counties) and Flat River (St Francois County from Highway B to six miles downstream to where it enters Big River), we recommend that people not consume carp, sunfish, redhorse, or other suckers. In addition, for Big Creek (Iron County near Glover), we recommend that people not consume sunfish.

DHSS believes fish are a good source of high quality protein and are low in cholesterol and harmful fats. To ensure that Missourians are getting those healthful effects from eating fish, the State of Missouri will continue to monitor fish tissue. Because not all waters in Missouri are monitored, the noncommercial fish consumption advice is a baseline of protection. This advice balances risks from contamination with the benefits of eating fish.

The EPA and Food and Drug Administration's consumer advisory for mercury in commercial fish recommends that women who are pregnant, women of childbearing age who might become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children not eat any shark, swordfish, King Mackerel, or tilefish. This group can safely consume up to 12 ounces (two (2) meals) a week of shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, or catfish . Albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna, thus this group should eat no more than six ounces (one meal) a week of white tuna. For more information go to: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html.

For more information on the benefits of eating fish and mercury's health effects, go to: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/MethylmercuryBrochure.pdf

The full DHSS 2006 Fish Advisory can be found at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/NewsAndPublicNotices/06FishAdvisory.pdf. At the end of the advisory is a guide to cleaning and cooking fish in a manner designed to reduce some chemical contaminants. Be aware that cleaning or cooking methods cannot reduce levels of metals such as mercury and lead.

For additional information, contact Nanci Gonder at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' "Office of Public Information" at (573) 751-6062.

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