Five Fish Species Under State Mercury Warning - Alan Henry Lake, Texas

[hatrack]

The state has issued a warning not to eat too much fish from Lake Alan Henry because of high levels of mercury found in five species.

The advisory was issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services after tests found elevated levels of mercury in fish samples from blue catfish, crappie, Flathead catfish, largemouth bass and spotted bass taken from the reservoir about 100 miles northwest of Abilene in Kent and Garza counties.

Other species such as channel catfish, common carp and freshwater drum were sampled and are not included in the advisory. The department’s advisory does not ban the consumption of fish but advises people not to eat more than two 8-ounce servings per month.

Allison Lowery, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said the advisory was issued after 100 samples were taken from nine species of fish. “We look for a main concentration. If we find a level that exceeds 0.7 milligrams per kilogram for mercury then we issue a warning,” Lowery said.

EDIT

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/feb/05/mercury-levels-high-in-alan-henry-fish/

[TxRider]

1. Hmm

"Bertl also said the most likely reason for the rise in mercury levels in fish is due to a buildup of mercury which occurs naturally and is consumed by the fish."

[glowing]

2. Yes, it is called biomanification. The fish that consume other fish will increase

the levels of mercury. Swordfish, because it is a top predator, typically contains much more mercury than a fish that is lower on the food chain.

[ashling]

6. I never eat swordfish from the lakes around here

:shrug:

[glowing]

7. I was giving you an example that most people commonly understand.

The same thing will happen in a lake. Coal plants emmit mercury.. Not too many lakes left in America that don't contain mercury... Little known fact of these crazy "vaccine" people is that the mother's breast milk could possibly contain unsafe levels of mercury for their baby's and they are the source of the toxins... anyway, the lake's fish will biomagnify the mercury levels up the food chain. So the herbivore at the beginning of the food chain will have some mercury... the predators at the top will have 10X's as much or more. I'm assuming that the fish on the list are probably predator fish... if not, then someone is dumping directly into the lake.

[fascisthunter]

3. I Wonder What Mr. Bertl's Explanation is for this:

"The state has issued a warning not to eat too much fish from Lake Alan Henry because of high levels of mercury found in five species."

"high levels"... doesn't sound normal to ne Mr. Bertl.

Mercury Contamination in Fish
http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/sources.asp

[leftrightwingnut]

4. It would be ironic if depleted fish populations rebound

simply because they became too toxic to eat.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. Mercury isn't that dangerous... science has proven that you

need at least an ouce a day to keep the coroner away.