Advisories Warn What Fish To Eat And What To Avoid

I WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT ANY BILL THAT DID NOT HAVE AN OPEN HEARING.

MELISSA KING REPORTING.

TONIGHT, A NEW ADVISORY FOR THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF FISH CAUGHT IN CALIFORNIA WATERS AND IF YOU SHOULD EAT THEM.

A STATE AGENCY SAYS PEOPLE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS BECAUSE WE SHOULD NOT MAKE A DAILY DIET OF SOME FISH.

WE ARE GETTING ANSWERS TONIGHT ON HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO THE NEW FISH ADVISORIES, DREW? Reporter: THESE FISH ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.

FOR THE EXPERIENCED FISHERMAN THEY HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN NOT EAT WHEN THEY CATCH A FISH.

WHAT ABOUT THE WEEKENDERS? STATE AGENCY IS TRYING TO EDUCATE MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME.

Reporter: ON A HOT DAY BEING ON THE WATER CAN BE FUN.

Reporter: MARK HAS A SMALL BOAT AND TYPICALLY OUT ON THE AMERICAN RIVER.

THERE IS TOO SHALLOW.

Reporter: MOST HE RELEASES.

I CAUGHT A LEGAL ONE AND TOOK HIM HOME AND ATE HIM.

NOW AN ADVISORY.

MERCURY IS THE CONCERN.

MERCURY EFFECTED THE DEVELOPING BRAIN.

Reporter: SAM FROM THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT SAYS EVERY BODY OF WATER HAS SOME LEVEL OF MERCURY.

SO HOW MANY FISH ADVISORIES ARE THERE? WE HAVE SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 90 ADVISORIES FOR DIFFERENT WATER BODIES.

Reporter: THIS MAP FROM THE WEB SITE SHOWS ALL OF THE ACTIVE ADVISORIES WITH RANGING RECOMMENDATIONS.

THIS ONE FOR FOLSOM LAKE SUGGEST MIDDLE AGE WOMEN AND CHILDREN NOT EAT BLACK BASS, SALMON AND TROUT OVER 16.

SHOULD NOT EAT A BUNCH OF THEM.

Reporter: MERCURY CAN VARY.

CONTAMINATION LEVELS ARE BASED ON WHAT THEY EAT RATHER THAN THE WATER.

Reporter: FISH SPECIES MAY BE OFF LIMITS HE DOES NOT WANT TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM EATING A HEALTHY DIET.

A BALANCING ACT.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY FISH THAT YOU CAN SAFELY EAT OFTEN ENOUGH TO GET THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE OMEGA3 AND AS WELL AS THE SPECIES IN SOME CASES YOU NEED TO AVOID.

HE SAYS THEY PUT OUT THESE ADVISORIES ONCE A MONTH.

THEY DO SO WHEREVER THEIR DEPARTMENT COLLECTED ENOUGH RELEVANT DATA.

BASS AND CARP HAVE MORE MERCURY AROUND THE STATE AND RAINBOW TROUT AND SUN FISH LOWER LEVELS.

JUST IN CASE YOU ARE HEADING OUT TO THE WATER THIS WEEKEND.