Mercury advisory for fish expanded

The Utah Department of Health added two new locations and one new fish species to its Mercury Fish Consumption Advisory list on Wednesday, warning residents about elevated levels of mercury for those who may catch or consume fish in the following locations:

Newcastle Reservoir in Iron County — no one should eat wiper caught or harvested there.

Red Fleet Reservoir in Uintah County — children and pregnant women should not eat largemouth bass, and adults should limit their consumption to two 8-ounce servings per month.

Steinaker Reservoir in Uintah County — children and pregnant women should not eat bluegill, and adults should limit their consumption to two 8-ounce servings per month.

An 8-ounce serving is the size of two decks of playing cards. According to an analysis completed by the Utah Department of Health, eating more than these amounts over a long period of time could result in an intake of mercury that exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's health recommendations.

Fish have tested for mercury in 268 bodies of water in Utah since 2000, including 194 streams and rivers and 74 lakes and reservoirs, and fish in 16 of the 268 waterways had elevated levels of mercury. Past advisories for elevated mercury levels include the following:

Sept. 30, 2008 — for brown trout from Porcupine Reservoir in Cache County; brown trout from Rock Creek below Upper Stillwater Reservoir in Duchesne County; brown trout from East Fork Sevier River between Otter Creek and Piute Reservoirs in Piute County; for largemouth bass from Sand Hollow Reservoir in Washington County.

April 23, 2007, updated Sept. 30, 2008 — for splake trout from Joe's Valley Reservoir in Emery County; for brown trout from Calf Creek and Pine Creek in Garfield County; for rainbow trout from the Newcastle Reservoir in Iron County; brown trout and smallmouth bass from the Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County; rainbow trout from the Upper Enterprise Reservoir in Washington County; for brown trout from the Weber River near Morgan.

Nov. 10, 2005 — for all fish in the Green River in Desolation Canyon, Uintah and Carbon counties.

Aug. 22, 2005 — for all fish in Mill Creek, Grand County and for largemouth bass from Gunlock Reservoir in Washington County.

Past advisories for other elevated chemical levels include:

May 16, 2006, updated Oct. 2, 2007 ?— for PCBs found in carp and channel catfish in Utah Lake.

Oct. 27, 2004 ?— elevated arsenic levels for fish in Silver Creek, Summit County.

Aug. 22, 1991 — fish and waterfowl advisory, due to elevated selenium for the Ashley Creek drainage and Stewart Lake in Uintah County.

For additional details, see the state's advisory Web site at www.fishadvisories.utah.gov.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element, but the toxic form found in some waters can result in neurological effects in a developing fetus and in children. The advisory said that any health risks associated with eating the fish are based on long-term consumption and are not tied to eating fish occasionally.

The advisory said there is no health risk associated with mercury for other uses of the reservoirs, streams, rivers or creeks, such as swimming, boating and waterskiing.

E-mail: carrie@desnews.com