"West Virginians are warned to limit their consumption of fish in a mercury advisory, which applies to all of the state's waters from its clearest mountain streams to industrial waterways.
Last week's mercury advisory, the state's first, was based on a two-year study by West Virginia University that examined fish samples from 56 sites across the state. The study was conducted for the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Division of Natural Resources and the Bureau for Public Health. These three agencies are responsible for the annual fish-consumption advisories.
The mercury advisories warn that children and pregnant or nursing women should restrict their consumption. For others, consumption limits are based on the type and size of fish. Federal mercury advisories have been in place for years, warning people in those high-risk groups to limit consumption of commercially-caught fish. This is the first to apply to the state's sport fish.
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West Virginia is the nation's second largest coal producer and the state has more than a dozen coal-fired power plants. "It confirms that mercury contamination appears to be widespread from atmospheric deposition,'' said Pat Campbell with the DEP. Mercury was found in fish samples ranging from bottom-feeding catfish to predator fish such as largemouth bass and walleye. Campbell said the state would like to eventually expand the study to look at other popular fish such as crappie and bluegill.
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West Virginia DNR Fish Biologist Scott Morrison, said many infer an unrealistic idea about the health risks of eating fish from the advisories and most people's fish consumption already is well below the what the guidelines recommend. "You can't give a consumption advisory without people thinking it is terrible and that the fish aren't safe. We have an advisory to eat one meal per week. Well, who eats 52 meals of fish a year? I don't think there's many people who do," Morrison said."
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http://www.newsandsentinel.com/sports/story/1219202004_spt08_fish.asp