Latest Health Advisories for Fish

[Rivet]

NY Health Dept

New specific advisories have been added for 13 Adirondack ponds and lakes, also based on elevated mercury levels. Previous advisories for three of these waters (Soft Maple Reservoir, Soft Maple Dam Pond and Tupper Lake) remain in effect.

Effley Falls Reservoir (Lewis County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of chain pickerel and smallmouth bass (all sizes).
Forked Lake (Hamilton County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth and smallmouth bass (all sizes).
Lake Eaton (Hamilton County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch larger than 10 inches.
North Lake (Town of Ohio, Herkimer County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch (all sizes).
Polliwog Pond (Franklin County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (all sizes).
Rock Pond and Lake Durant (Town of Indian Lake, Hamilton County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass larger than 15 inches.
Sand Lake (Town of Arietta, Hamilton County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of chain pickerel (all sizes).
Soft Maple Dam Pond and Soft Maple Reservoir (Lewis County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (all sizes).
South Pond (Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch larger than 10 inches.
Tupper Lake (Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (all sizes).
Willis Lake (Hamilton County) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (all sizes).

[sacco]

i guess it's easier to tell people not to eat fish, then just stop polluting.

Scientists find 17% of common loons in the Adirondacks already have mercury levels high enough to impair their reproductive success, worry Bush administration's plan to weaken proposed mercury emission rules will cause further harm to the birds.
According to EurekAlert, researchers from the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other organizations conducting an ongoing study of common loons in the Adirondacks say the Bush administration's plan to weaken proposed mercury emission rules for coal-burning power plants could adversely affect the beloved birds, known for their haunting yodel-like calls.

Scientists representing the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program (ACLP), a partnership of WCS, the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (NHMA), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, BioDiversity Research Institute (BRI), and the Audubon Society of New York, are concerned because data already shows that mercury pollution is causing lower reproductive rates in loons in the Adirondacks. One recent sample of 100 Adirondack loons by BioDiversity Research Institute (BRI) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found that 17 percent of the birds had mercury levels high enough to affect their reproductive success and behavior.

The Bush administration plan calls for easing regulations proposed by the previous administration to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants - something that scientists say may lead to more bad news for loons. "We are very concerned that any increase in mercury emissions could spell further trouble for loons in the Adirondack Park and elsewhere in the Northeast," said WCS-NHMA scientist Dr. Nina Schoch, Coordinator for the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program. "Loons are already suffering from mercury pollution here and in other locations. More mercury will mean greater impacts on northeastern loon populations and their habitats."

Due to its neurotoxic effects, mercury causes behavioral changes in loons, making them lethargic. Adult birds incubate and feed their young less, while chicks feed less and ride on their parents' backs less, making them more susceptible to predation and chilling.
"Models indicate that, partly due to mercury contamination, reproductive rates of loons may already be too low to maintain their populations in portions of Maine and eastern Canada," stated Dr. David Evers, BRI's Executive Director and collaborator with the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program

Scientists believe that because prevailing winds carry mercury emissions from power plants in the Midwest towards the east, mercury levels in loons are highest in the eastern part of North America.

[lumberzac]

Thanks for the info. I just saw this in the paper this morning, but they never gave the names of the lakes that were affected.

[Creekwader]

The link with the actual bodies of water listed is here:

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh...07-09-2004.htm

One should bear in mind as well that just because the place you fish isn't on there doesn't mean that Mercury isn't present. The state just hasn't gotten around to sampling all the lakes or in some cases all the fish types in the lakes it has sampled.