SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health today announced 2002 consumption advisories for sport fish caught in Illinois waters.

The annual list includes a new statewide mercury advisory for certain kinds of fish and the inclusion of fish sample results from 21 bodies of water for which advisories have not previously been issued.

"Recent scientific studies indicate that methylmercury is more toxic than previously thought and may pose risks to unborn children," said Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director. "If eaten regularly, fish containing high levels of methylmercury could harm a fetus' developing nervous system."

Damage to the central nervous system may result in lower intelligence, abnormal muscle tone and slowed motor function. While the primary danger from methylmercury in fish is to the unborn, Dr. Lumpkin said it also is prudent for nursing mothers and young children to limit their intake of these fish.

While nearly all fish contain trace amounts of methylmercury, larger fish that feed on other fish accumulate higher amounts of methylmercury and pose the greatest risk. These predator fish include all species of black bass, (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted), striped bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, walleye, sauger, saugeye, flathead catfish, muskellunge and northern pike.

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and it can be released into the air through industrial pollution. When it falls into surface water, bacteria in the water cause chemical changes that transform the mercury into methylmercury, which is then taken up by fish as they feed on aquatic organisms.

The special mercury advisory cautions pregnant or nursing women, women of childbearing age and children younger than 15 years of age to eat no more than one meal per week of predator fish. Women beyond childbearing age and males older than 15 years of age may continue to enjoy as many meals of predator fish as they please, with the exception of fish from a few bodies of water where high levels of methylmercury were found. More restrictive meal advice applies to fish taken from these waters.

Advisories for fish taken from other bodies of water, including the 21 that were added this year, are based on two contaminants of concern: PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and chlordane. They provide eating advice in five categories – unlimited consumption, no more than one meal a week, no more than one meal per month, no more than six meals a year and do not eat.

Anglers can limit their exposure to PCBs and chlordane in fish by preparing and cooking fish in ways that reduce the amount of contaminants and by varying the type and source of sport fish consumed – opting for the younger, smaller fish, and consuming leaner species such as crappie and bluegill over fatter species such as carp and catfish.

There are several ways to reduce PCB and chlordane contaminants in edible portions of fish:

• Before cooking, remove the skin from the filet and cut away any fatty tissue from the belly and dorsal areas.
  
• Broil, bake or grill in a way that allows fat to drip away.
  
• Discard fat drippings or broth from broiled or poached fish.

These precautions will not reduce the amount of mercury in fish. Mercury is found throughout a fish's muscle tissue (the edible part of the fish) rather than in the fat and skin. Therefore, the only way to reduce mercury intake is to reduce the amount of contaminated fish eaten.

"Fish can be an important part of a balanced diet and is a good source of high quality protein and other nutrients and is low in fat," Dr. Lumpkin said. "The fish advisory is not meant to discourage people from eating fish, but should be used as a guide."

While there is no known immediate health threat from eating contaminated fish from any Illinois body of water, there are concerns about the effects of long-term, low-level exposure to the pesticides and chemicals found in the fish flesh listed in the advisories. There is evidence that high doses of PCB and chlordane can cause adverse health conditions in animals and humans, including cancer, liver damage, and reproductive and developmental damage.

As is the case with methylmercury, the PCB and chlordane advisories are based primarily on protecting sensitive populations (i.e., women of childbearing age, pregnant women, fetuses, nursing mothers and children younger than 15 years of age). They may be overprotective for women beyond childbearing age and adult men.

The Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program screens fish samples from about 40 bodies of water for contamination from 13 banned pesticides and industrial chemicals. Fish must be sampled for two consecutive years before being added or deleted from the advisories. The program is a joint effort of the departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Nuclear Safety and Public Health and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

The fish are collected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and tested by IEPA. The Department of Public Health bases its consumption advisories on the IEPA test results. This year's advisories are included in Illinois 2002 Fishing Information, which is available from IDNR and from businesses that sell state fishing licenses, and the 2002 Fish Advisory Web site on IDPH's Web site,