Mercury-list changes affect 3 duck species

A third duck has been added to the list of aquatic birds with health advisories because of mercury, but the levels of contamination in the first two species seems to have dropped.

Also, state officials are analyzing samples from hundreds of fish, checking to see if additional advisories should be issued.

According to a state and federal government news release, new sampling over a larger area of the eastern border of the Great Salt Lake found lower levels of the contaminant in northern shovelers and common goldeneyes than discovered in earlier samples. Because of that, "consumption advisories for the two ducks have been revised," adds the statement, issued by three state agencies — the Division of Wildlife Resources, Department of Health and Division of Environmental Quality — and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

However, sampling found that the cinnamon teal, which are not often taken by Utah hunters, should be added to the list.

Consumption advisories for the birds taken in Great Salt Lake marshes are:

• Northern shoveler and cinnamon teal: Adults should eat no more than two 8-ounce meals per month. Children, pregnant women and women who may become pregnant should eat no more than one 4-ounce meal per month of these birds.

• Common goldeneye: Children, pregnant women and women who may become pregnant should not eat them. Other adults should eat no more than one 8-ounce meal per month.

Only 5 percent of ducks taken in the past 10 years were cinnamon teals, and only 2 percent were goldeneyes. Over the past 10 years, according to the release, northern shovelers made up about 10 percent of ducks taken by Utah hunters "but that number has climbed to 26 percent during certain years."

Seven other duck species also were sampled and determined to be safe to eat.

As reported in the Deseret Morning News in May, while certain fish species in particular spots were listed in advisories, other fish were waiting analysis.

Now, said John Whitehead, a DEQ expert who is chairman of the statewide mercury work group, "We have results from 600-plus fish." There are some checks that need to be done to make certain of quality control, he said.

When the checks are finished, the data will be turned over to the Department of Health to assess.

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com