[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Clipping: News-Annual listing of state fish advisories (fwd)
From: Lraisbeck@aol.com (by way of Earle Cummings <earlec@water.ca.gov>)
To: Multiple recipients of list <ag-impact@freedom.mtn.org>
-----------------------------SNIP-------------------------------
While Anne-Marie and I were in Lybia we had a friend who was a food chemist
who was advising us what fish and food not to buy because of the levels
of mercury etc.
it doesn't seem to be happening here
Vic
____________________________end__________________________________
EPA HAS RELEASED ANNUAL LISTING OF STATE FISH ADVISORIES/SCROLL FOR RELEASE:
FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1998
EPA HAS RELEASED ANNUAL LISTING OF STATE FISH ADVISORIES; APPEALS TO STATES
FOR GREATER CONSISTENCY IN ADVISORY PROGRAMS
In June, EPA released its annual update of fish advisories issued
primarily by states through December 1997. The advisories apply to
fish and shellfish obtained through sport, recreational, and
subsistence activities. The database includes all available
information describing state, tribal and federally issued fish
consumption advisories in the U.S. and 12 Canadian provinces and
territories. The number of advisories in the U.S. increased by five
percent over 1996, rising by 125 in 1997 to a total of 2,299 across
the nation. The number of waterbodies under advisory represents 16.6
percent of the nation's total lake acres and 8.2 percent of the
nation's total river miles. In addition, 100 percent of the Great
Lakes and their connecting waters and a large portion of the nation's
coastal waters remain under advisory. The total number of advisories
in the U.S. increased for three major contaminants (mercury, dioxin
and DDT) but declined overall for PCBs, although 30 new advisories
were issued for PCBs. State fish advisories warn the public to avoid
or to limit eating fish due to elevated levels of pollutants. Each
advisory is different: they may recommend no or limited consumption;
may be targeted to men, women and/or children; and/or may apply to
certain species of fish. EPA cannot provide a hard copy written list
of fish advisories. Consumers should contact their local health
departments for specific local advisory information. A five-page fact
sheet generally describing the program is available by faxing a
request to EPA's Fish Contamination Program at 202-260-9830, or by
calling Jeff Bigler at 202-260-1305. On June 12, Vice President Gore
announced a new fish advisory Internet web site:
http://www.epa.gov/ost/fish. The factsheet and the listing is
available from the web site, currently for downloading only. The
listing also is available free of charge on 3.5-inch diskettes (EPA-
823-C-98-002) from EPA's National Center for Environmental
Publications and Information, 11029 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, Ohio
45242, phone: 800-490-9198 or fax: 513-489-8695. In July, EPA sent
a letter to the states' health, environmental, and fisheries agencies
appealing for national consistency in their fish advisory programs,
providing national guidance on consistency and inviting the states to
a meeting in the Spring of 1999 to discuss consistency issues. Copies
of the letter are available from EPA by faxing a request to EPA's Fish
Contamination Program at 202-260-9830 or by calling Jeff Bigler at
202-260-1305.
*************************************************************
This email message was brought to you via River Network's
listserv,rivernet-info. If you would like to respond to this message,
please make sure you address it to the appropriate recipient. The views
expressed do not necessarily reflect those of River Network, its staff,
board, funders or supporters. For more information, please contact River
Network.