Fish from
DES MOINES – The Iowa
Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of mercury above
consumption advisory levels in tissue samples from largemouth bass collected
from
Individuals should consume
no more than one meal per week of largemouth bass caught from
Mercury was also found
above consumption levels in tissue samples from redhorse collected from the
Upper Iowa River, prompting the DNR to issue an advisory for all species of fish
caught from County Road 76 to County Road W20, in
The Upper Iowa River was on
the consumption advisory list previously for mercury in predator species, from
the lower dam in eastern
Every year Iowa DNR
biologists collect samples of fish for laboratory analysis to determine the
wholesomeness of fish for human consumption. Edible portions of these fish are
analyzed by certified labs and results are compared to consumption advisory
levels as identified by the DNR and Iowa Department of Public Health in the
state’s consumption advisory protocol.
The risk-based protocol went into effect in 2006 and is based on US EPA
and FDA guidance. This protocol is the basis for issuing consumption advisories
for
This marks the eleventh
current consumption advisory for fish in
Existing river advisories
of one meal per week of predator fish species for mercury include the Cedar
River from Floyd County north to the Minnesota border, mercury in the Upper Iowa
River from the lower dam in eastern Winneshiek County upstream 24 miles and for
mercury in the Volga River, including the Little Volga and the North Branch
Volga River from the town of Volga upstream in Clayton County.
Mississippi River Pool 12,
which is the area between Lock and Dam 11 in Dubuque and Lock and Dam 12 at
Bellevue in Jackson County, has a consumption advisory of one meal per week for
walleye, sauger, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass and northern
pike.
The DNR has information on
these contaminants and consumption advisories on its Fish and Fishing webpage at
www.iowadnr.gov/fish/index.html then click on Fish Consumption Advisories in the
navigation bar on the left.
Fish are part of a healthy
diet. For information on the
benefits of eating fish or what types of fish are safe to eat, visit the Iowa
Department of Public Health’s webpage at www.idph.state.ia.us/eh/common/pdf/enf/fish_health_issues.pdf
CHLORDANE ADVISORY DROPPED AT
The Iowa DNR has removed
the one meal per week advisory due to elevated levels of chlordane in
The advisory included carp
and channel catfish at
Although the chlordane
advisory has been removed at
The DNR has issued a new
fish consumption advisory for
For more information, contact Marion Conover, chief of
fisheries, at
515-281-5208.