Mercury In Coyote Lake Fish Prompting State Intervention

SAN MARTIN, CA — The state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has released dietary regulations for five types of fish in Santa Clara County's Coyote Lake due to mercury levels observed in the fish.

The black bass family, sunfish, black crappie, common carp and threadfin shad are included in the state advisory. Coyote Lake is located in unincorporated Santa Clara County near Gilroy, and state officials assessed fish caught in the lake for mercury levels considered safe for human consumption.

"Because fetuses, babies and children are especially sensitive to mercury, OEHHA has one set of advice for the amount of mercury-containing fish that women age 18-49 years and children should eat, and another set of advice for women 50 years and older and men 18 years and older," officials said, adding that mercury levels can transfer during pregnancy and harm fetus brain function.

Women between the ages of 18 to 49 should not eat any black bass from the lake, according to officials. They can eat a maximum of one total serving of the remaining species in the lake that are mentioned in the state advisory each week.

Women older than 50 and men aged 18 or older can have one serving of black bass per week, or two servings of black crappie or common carp or three servings of sunfish or threadfin shad.

A serving is about the size and thickness of your hand for a fish fillet, and children receive smaller servings, according to OEHHA officials, who said "low-contaminant" fish are an important part of a healthy diet. The full advisory is online at https://oehha.ca.gov/advisories/coyote-lake.

—Bay City News