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Consumption Advisories

Fish Advisories in Utah

Waterfowl Advisories in Utah

National Fish Advisories

Mercury Advisory for Women and Children

Eat Fish, Choose Wisely

Fish are important in a healthy diet. They are a lean, low-calorie source of protein. However, some fish from specific areas in Utah may contain chemicals that could pose health risks. When contaminant levels are unsafe, Utah Public Health Officials issue fish consumption advisories.

These advisories outline recommendations for limiting intake of specific fish at specific locations. Fish advisories have been issued in Utah due to elevated levels of arsenic, mercury and selenium. These advisories are listed by category below.

Choose a Category:


Emery County

A fish consumption advisory was issued on April 23, 2007 due to elevated Mercury levels for splake trout from Joe’s Valley Reservoir in Emery County.

Garfield County

A fish consumption advisory was issued on April 23, 2007 due to elevated Mercury levels for brown trout from Calf Creek in Garfield County.

Green River in Desolation Canyon (Uintah / Carbon Counties)

A fish consumption advisory due to elevated mercury levels was issued November 10, 2005 for the Green River in Desolation Canyon.

Grand County

A fish consumption advisory due to elevated mercury levels was issued August 22, 2005 for Mill Creek in Grand County.

Iron County

A fish consumption advisory was issued on April 23, 2007 due to elevated Mercury levels for rainbow trout from the Newcastle Reservoir in Iron County.

Summit County

A fish consumption advisory due to elevated arsenic levels was issued October 27, 2004 for Silver Creek in Summit County.

Uintah County

A fish and waterfowl consumption advisory due to elevated selenium was issued August 22, 1991 for the Ashley Creek drainage and Stewart Lake in Uintah County.

Utah County

A fish consumption advisory has been issued for carp and channel catfish found in Utah Lake after state officials found elevated levels of PCBs in the fish.

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Washington County

Wasatch County

A fish consumption advisory was issued on April 23, 2007 due to elevated Mercury levels for brown trout from the Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County.

Weber County

A fish consumption advisory was issued on April 23, 2007due to elevated mercury levels for brown trout from the Weber River near Morgan, Utah.

Brwon Trout

Brown Trout

Consumption Advisories apply to the following locations:

  • Calf Creek in Garfield County
  • Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County
  • Mill Creek in Grand County
  • Silver Creek in Summit County (all Trout species)
  • Weber River in Morgan County

Consumption Advisory:

 

Carp

Carp

Consumption Advisories apply to the following locations:

  • Utah Lake in Utah County

Consumption Advisory:

 

Catfish

Catfish

Consumption Advisories apply to the following locations:

  • Desolation Canyon in Carbon County
  • Utah Lake in Utah County

Consumption Advisory:

 

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass

Consumption Advisories apply to the following locations:

  • Gunlock Reservoir in Washington County

Consumption Advisory:

 

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout

Consumption Advisories apply to the following locations:

  • Upper Enterprise Reservoir in Washington County
  • Newcastle Reservoir in Iron County
  • Silver Creek in Summit County (all Trout species)

Consumption Advisory:

 

Splake Trout

Splake Trout

Consumption Advisories apply to the following locations:

  • Joe's Valley Reservoir in Emery County
  • Silver Creek in Summit County (all Trout species)

Consumption Advisory:

Jump to: Arsenic | Mercury | PCBs | Selenium

Arsenic

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth's crust. In the environment, arsenic is combined with oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Arsenic in animals and plants combines with carbon and hydrogen to form organic arsenic compounds.

Inorganic arsenic compounds are mainly used to preserve wood. Copper chromated arsenic (CCA) is used to make "pressure-treated" lumber. CCA is no longer used in the U.S. for residential uses; it is still used in industrial applications. Organic arsenic compounds are used as pesticides, primarily on cotton plants.

Click Here for more Information (from the ATSDR web site)

Click to view information on fish species and waterbodies affected by this contaminant

 

Mercury

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. It exists in several forms: elemental or metallic mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds. Elemental or metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white metal and is liquid at room temperature. It is used in thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs and some electrical switches. When dropped, elemental mercury breaks into smaller droplets which can go through small cracks or become strongly attached to certain materials. At room temperature, exposed elemental mercury can evaporate to become an invisible, odorless toxic vapor. People can be exposed to elemental mercury vapor when products that contain mercury break and expose mercury to the air, particularly in poorly-ventilated spaces.

Inorganic mercury compounds take the form of mercury salts and are generally white powder or crystals, with the exception of mercuric sulfide (cinnabar) which is red. Inorganic mercury compounds have been included in products such as fungicides, antiseptics or disinfectants. Some skin lightening and freckle creams, as well as some traditional medicines, can contain mercury compounds.

Organic mercury compounds, such as methylmercury, are formed when mercury combines with carbon. Microscopic organisms convert inorganic mercury into methylmercury, which is the most common organic mercury compound found in the environment. Methylmercury accumulates up the food chain.

Click Here for more Information (from the ATSDR web site)

Click to view information on fish species and waterbodies affected by this contaminant

 

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic organic chemicals comprising 209 individual chlorinated biphenyl compounds (known as congeners). Exposure to each of these compounds is associated with different levels of risk for harmful effects. There are no known natural sources of PCBs. Although PCBs are no longer manufactured in the United States, people can still be exposed to them. The two main sources of exposure to PCBs are the environment and the workplace. Due to resistance to degradation, PCBs persist in the environment for decades.

Recent studies conducted in the Great Lakes basin indicate that a) fish consumption remains the major route of exposure to PCBs and b) health consequences are associated with these exposures. The following summary identifies those groups at risk because of exposure to PCBs and summarizes recently published information on exposure, sociodemographics, and health findings for these groups.

Click Here for more Information (from the ATSDR web site)

Click to view information on fish species and waterbodies affected by this contaminant

 

Selenium

Selenium is a naturally occurring substance that is toxic at high concentrations but is also a nutritionally essential element. Hydrogen selenide is the most acutely toxic selenium compound. Acute (short-term) exposure to elemental selenium, hydrogen selenide, and selenium dioxide by inhalation results primarily in respiratory effects, such as irritation of the mucous membranes, pulmonary edema, severe bronchitis, and bronchial pneumonia. Epidemiological studies of humans chronically (long-term) exposed to high levels of selenium in food and water have reported discoloration of the skin, pathological deformation and loss of nails, loss of hair, excessive tooth decay and discoloration, lack of mental alertness, and listlessness. Epidemiological studies have reported an inverse association between selenium levels in the blood and cancer occurrence and animal studies have reported that selenium supplementation, as sodium selenate, sodium selenite, and organic forms of selenium, results in a reduced incidence of several tumor types. The only selenium compound that has been shown to be carcinogenic in animals is selenium sulfide, which resulted in an increase in liver tumors from oral exposure. EPA has classified elemental selenium as a Group D, not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity, and selenium sulfide as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen.

Click Here for more Information (from the ATSDR web site)

Click to view information on fish species and waterbodies affected by this contaminant

* Waterbodies are listed alphabetically *

Calf Creek in Garfield County, Utah

Desolation Canyon in Carbon County, Utah

Gunlock Reservoir in Washington County, Utah

Joe's Valley Reservoir in Emery County, Utah

Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County, Utah

Lower Ashley Creek drainage and Stewart Lake in Uintah County, Utah

Mill Creek in Grand County, Utah

Newcastle Reservoir in Iron County, Utah

Silver Creek in Summit County, Utah

Upper Enterprise Reservoir in Washington County, Utah

Utah Lake in Utah County, Utah

Weber River in Morgan County, Utah

Mercury Advisory for Women and Children

What You Need to Know About Mercury In Fish and Shellfish

Advice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to:

  • Women Who Might Become Pregnant
  • Women Who are Pregnant
  • Nursing Mothers
  • Young Children

Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

3 Safety Tips

By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

  1. Do not eat:
    • Shark
    • Swordfish
    • King Mackerel
    • Tilefish
    • They contain high levels of mercury.
  2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
    • Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are:
      • shrimp
      • canned light tuna
      • salmon
      • pollock
      • catfish
    • Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
  3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

Visit the Food and Drug Administration's Food Safety Website http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html or the Environmental Protection Agency's Fish Advisory Website www.epa.gov/ost/fish for a listing of mercury levels in fish.

This web site sponsored by:

Utah Department of Health Utah Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife Resources Utah Department of Environmental Quality