Fish Advisories:   What TOOFAR learned and what You should know

Researchers note: ...as I research this topic, I was wondering how many people know about this, what is the method the DOH employs to notify the general public of the advisory?...they do say on the website, under "How is the public informed?" - "Multiple copies of the brochure will be available in the near future from the DOH Distribution Center." Anyone know where that is? Do they do any mailings to the public? Do these brochure’s go out to our local Dept. of Health (when they order them or automatically)? I guess we’re supposed to ’check back periodically’ for updates...right...I’ll just make a trip to the Dept. of Health weekly. To give them some credit..It is available on their website... but how many people think to search for this topic and... how many more don’t even have a computer. Something is wrong with this method of informing the public of these serious threats to our health... but the deeper issue...of course, is the contamination in the first place.

Florida Department of Health (DOH):

Florida Fish Consumption Advisory Web Pages of the Florida Department of Health: provides access to the current health advisories for fish consumption. (They say to check periodically for updates)

Overview - Answers to common questions about advisories.

Your Guide to Eating Fish Caught in Florida (The DOH says to read this first)

THE Fish Consumption Advisory published in May, 2005:
(it’s not just for Women Who Might Become Pregnant, Women Who are Pregnant, Nursing Mothers, and Young Children)

Eat Healthy, Eat Smart - The 2005 Florida Fish Advisories Brochure
Your Guide to Eating Fish Caught in Florida, May 2005 - published periodically by the State of Florida to alert consumers about the possibility of chemically contaminated fish in Florida waters. The Advisories are meant to inform the public of potential health risks of specific fish species from specific water bodies. (Note: Table 3: Eating Fish from Florida Waters with Dioxin, Pesticide, or Saxitoxin Contamination on page 17)

CHECK THESE for Updated Information since May:

Latest Florida Fish Consumption Advisories - modified or new information for Fresh Water Fish Advisories since the 2005 Fish Advisory Brochure were assembled. New updates will appear quarterly.

Eating Guidelines for Fresh Water Fish From Florida Waters
(in alphabetical order by water body)

Eating Guidelines for Fresh Water Fish
(listed by County)

Citrus County Fish Advisory

Eating Guidelines for Marine and Estuarine Fish From Florida Waters
(in alphabetical order by species)

Eating Fish From Florida Waters with Dioxin, Pesticide, or Saxitoxin Contamination

What Other are saying:

Environmental Protection Agency:

EPA fish advisories

Search by State

FDA and EPA are issuing a joint consumer Fish Advisories:

2004 What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish - 2004 EPA and FDA Advice For: Women Who Might Become Pregnant, Women Who are Pregnant, Nursing Mothers, and Young Children

Backgrounder for the 2004 FDA/EPA Consumer Advisory: - What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

FDA Fish Advisories - (for comparison) 2001 Consumer Advisory from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration: An important message for pregnant women and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant about the risks of mercury in fish

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition - Seafood Information and Resources, Foodborne Pathogens and Contaminants

Department of Environmental Protection:

Department of Environmental Protection ...mercury levels in fish and wildlife of the region remain excessive. In 2003 US EPA promulgated nationwide mercury standards for our nation’s waterbodies; the Florida Everglades remains above acceptable limits. A private/public partnership led by Florida DEP investigates ways to alleviate this mercury problem. A consortium of electric utility interests, federal and state agencies is collaborating in the South Florida Mercury Science Program or SFMSP. SFMSP Managers meet regularly to apportion research responsibilities, correlate funding requests and share scientific results on Everglades mercury issues. While the SFMSP is focused on the Everglades and South Florida, virtually all of its work has statewide and national application.

This site describes SFMSP strategies, plans activities and results. Links are given to the mercury related web sites of SFMSP participants and to other useful web sites dealing with mercury.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC):

Florida Fisheries - this area provides information about water bodies that have mercury or other health advisories issued by the Department of Health.

2005 National Forum on Contaminants in Fish
Sept. 18-21, 2005 in Baltimore, MD

The 2005 Fish Forum is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE). Health and environmental officials from state, tribal, and federal agencies and others interested in presenting and discussing issues related to assessing and managing potential health risks associated with dietary exposure to bioaccumulative chemical contaminants in fish.

On the Agenda: Discussions will focus on state, tribal, and federal activities related to managing health risks and benefits of consuming fish.

• Updates from EPA and FDA on their activities related to risks and benefits of fish consumption;
• Special session on Mercury;
• Health risks and benefits of consuming fish;
• Risk communication;
• Federal and state monitoring programs;
• Updates on selected chemicals of concern including PBDEs, Mercury, and PCBs.

Call for Action:

July 20, 2005
Email from Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG):
"Stop Mercury Pollution Now!"

Oct. 2004:
Fishing for Trouble: How Toxic Mercury Contaminates Fish in U.S. Waterways
PIRG’s analysis of EPA data on state fish consumption advisories