TECH

Kentucky tightens fish-consumption warnings

Mercury, PCBs still contaminate fish four decades after passage of Clean Water Act.

James Bruggers
Louisville Courier Journal
  • State officials have found more fish in more waterways with higher levels of mercury.
  • Women of childbearing age and young children have the strictest warnings.
  • For first time, advisories now apply to everyone.

Be careful with any fish you eat that come from Kentucky waterways.

Colin Miller holds up one of his catches during a day of fishing off the docks beside Cunningham's Creekside restaurant. "This is our easy spot to fish," Miller said. "You don't have to worry about getting your lines caught in trees." July 21, 2015

State officials have found more fish in more waterways with higher levels of mercury, so they've tightened up their consumption warnings. They now recommended restrictions for everyone, not just the special population of women of childbearing age or children 6 years or younger.

“We want Kentuckians to be informed about any potential danger or ill effects that could result from the food they consume, and that includes fish caught locally in our rivers, streams and lakes,” said Kathy Fowler, director of the Division of Public Health Safety, in a news release.

“Contaminants, like mercury, can be harmful to the brain and nervous system if a person is exposed to too much of them," she said. "We ask that Kentuckians be mindful of the kinds and amounts of fish they consume, particularly more sensitive populations such as infants, young children and pregnant women.”

Kentucky Waterways Alliance water policy director Tim Joice said the group appreciates a new approach that puts different advisory levels on different species and pollutants. "It also appears to heighten the warnings for citizens regarding certain species and pollutants, namely, mercury.

"Toxic contaminants in our waterways are clearly still an issue, even with the Clean Water Act being 44 years old in 2016."

Kentucky League of Sportsmen President Ed Morris said he fishes and follows the recommendations, adding that he really doesn't eat much of what he catches.

"Like a lot of fishermen, I'm now mostly fishing catch-and-release, especially on the Ohio River," he said.

But he said "we go out once or twice a year and get some catfish and have a fish fry," he said.

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Lanny Brannock, the spokesman for the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, said that in the past "we have sampled targeted waterbodies that have had known contaminant issues to monitor specific changes." But in fish tissue sampling in 2009 and 2013, "we sampled lakes statewide and were able to gain a better understanding about statewide mercury levels in fish."

He said they did not find mercury levels in fish tissue increasing from 2009 to 2013.

The press release emphasizes natural causes - saying mercury is a naturally occurring in the environment and widespread across the country.

Fish Consumption Advisory Guidelines Updated

A more detailed flier from the Kentucky Division of Water acknowledged primary sources of mercury include emissions from coal-burning power plants, hazardous waste incineration, chlorine production, and mercury product breakage and spillage. In Kentucky, the flier said, mercury reaches surface water primarily from what falls out of the sky.

The new warnings divide fish into two groups - panfish and bottom feeders such sunfish and catfish, and top predators, including smallmouth bass, largemouth Bass, and walleye. Nobody should eat more than one meal per month of the predatory fish, and those in the special population should limit themselves to only six meals a year, according to the recommendations. For panfish and bottomfeeders, the recommended limits are one meal per week for general population, and one meal per month for women of childbearing age and the young children.

There is also a long list of even tighter recommendations for specific rivers or lakes, including some where officials recommend not eating any fish, and sometimes because of the long-banned but persistant chemical PCB.

One meal is considered to be an eight ounce serving for a 150-pound person.

Reach reporter James Bruggers at (502) 582-4645 and at jbruggers@courier-journal.com.

Downtown Louisville.  Louisville skyline.  Ohio River.  Bridges.  Clark Memorial Bridge.  Kennedy Bridge.  Big Four Bridge.  Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span.
April 4, 2015