By Kourtney Seaton

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, in association with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, has issued a fish consumption advisory recommending that people limit consumption of channel catfish and largemouth bass caught from Bartlett Lake in Maricopa County.

An elevated level of mercury was found in a recent fish tissue sample and the ADEQ recommends that adults limit consumption of channel catfish and largemouth bass to 2.4 ounces (uncooked weight) per week and children 12 years of age and under limit consumption to two ounces per month (uncooked weight).

Any health risks associated with eating fish from this advisory area are based on long-term consumption and are not representative of risk from eating fish occasionally. Fish are an excellent source of protein and can be an important part of a healthy, diverse diet as they are low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends that individuals eat at least two fish or seafood meals weekly.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans and is turned into methylmercury in the water. Fish absorb the methylmercury as they feed in these waters and levels build in them. It builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others, depending on what the fish eat, which is why the levels vary.

The ADEQ advises that this finding does not limit the use of Bartlett Lake for fishing, bird watching, swimming, or other recreational uses.