08-23-2008, 03:53 AM
Here is some reading:
[url "http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury/arsenic_mercury_fish_tissue_report_0508.pdf"]http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury/arsenic_mercury_fish_tissue_report_0508.pdf[/url]
[url "http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_environment_flyer.pdf"]http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_environment_flyer.pdf[/url]
[url "http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_study_flyer.pdf"]http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_study_flyer.pdf[/url]
Basically, the DEQ and IDFG sampled the meat tissue of fish from around the state for mercury. They evaluated for a bioavailable form of mercury called methymercury. Under anaerobic (low/no oxygen) conditions mercury can change into methlymercury, and that form is readily absorbed by bugs/fish/people.
The source of mercury is from lots of places - people use to use it in mining sluices to collect gold, burning slag waste, coal burning, natural geology. But once its in the environment, its there to stay.
Once its there, it bioaccumulates up the food chain. Notice that the fish eating fish are on the list and not the bug eating perch or plankton eating kokanee. Walleye and smallmouth bass from Salmon Falls Creek reservoir were the highest in the state. The predatory fish from CDA lake were hot too, and that's downstream from the Silver Valley mining district.
That's interesting about the tilapia. I wonder if that wasn't methylmercury in the water.
This information won't stop me from eating bass or any fish, for that matter. But I don't think you can discount the presence of the potential situation. Data does not lie.
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[url "http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury/arsenic_mercury_fish_tissue_report_0508.pdf"]http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury/arsenic_mercury_fish_tissue_report_0508.pdf[/url]
[url "http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_environment_flyer.pdf"]http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_environment_flyer.pdf[/url]
[url "http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_study_flyer.pdf"]http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_study_flyer.pdf[/url]
Basically, the DEQ and IDFG sampled the meat tissue of fish from around the state for mercury. They evaluated for a bioavailable form of mercury called methymercury. Under anaerobic (low/no oxygen) conditions mercury can change into methlymercury, and that form is readily absorbed by bugs/fish/people.
The source of mercury is from lots of places - people use to use it in mining sluices to collect gold, burning slag waste, coal burning, natural geology. But once its in the environment, its there to stay.
Once its there, it bioaccumulates up the food chain. Notice that the fish eating fish are on the list and not the bug eating perch or plankton eating kokanee. Walleye and smallmouth bass from Salmon Falls Creek reservoir were the highest in the state. The predatory fish from CDA lake were hot too, and that's downstream from the Silver Valley mining district.
That's interesting about the tilapia. I wonder if that wasn't methylmercury in the water.
This information won't stop me from eating bass or any fish, for that matter. But I don't think you can discount the presence of the potential situation. Data does not lie.
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