mercury levels in south florida

[yankthatsucker]

im down in the coral springs area. me and a buddy were planning to go fish,clean, and eat some bluegill and blue and spotted tilapia. l heard the water out west by me have mercury levels too high to eat the fish. anybody know how true that is?  if so anybody know of any near lakes clean enough to eat out of?

[GLADES]

I think it is OK to eat locally caught panfish one or two meals a month.

Kids and pregnant women should probably not eat the fish though.

With all the fertilizer, chemical, runnoff and mercury issues in the local canals and in the glades, I personally would not the fish in south fla.

Some of the lakes in less populated central florida counties would be a good bet. Blue Cyprus (east of Yeehaw Jct) lake is very pristine and the speckled perch there is supposed to be excellent.

[Bassn Blvd]

I think it is OK to eat locally caught panfish one or two meals a month.

Kids and pregnant women should probably not eat the fish though.

With all the fertilizer, chemical, runnoff and mercury issues in the local canals and in the glades, I personally would not the fish in south fla.

Some of the lakes in less populated central florida counties would be a good bet. Blue Cyprus (east of Yeehaw Jct) lake is very pristine and the speckled perch there is supposed to be excellent.

Exactly what he said.  

[George Welcome]

Below is all listed consumption warnings for the state of Florida. Note that there is no area in Palm Beach County, Broward County, or Dade County.

No changes in advisories since the 2007 booklet was compiled.

N - New advisory for this species in this water body

C - Changed advisory for this species in this water body

W - The water body by this name has new definition.

Location

County Species Women of childbearing age,

young children (# of meals)*

All Other Individuals

(# of meals)*

Status

Eagle Lake HAMILTON Bluegill One per week Two per week N

Eagle Lake HAMILTON Largemouth bass, Bowfin, Gar One per month One per week N

Hardee Lakes #1-4 HARDEE Black crappie Two per week Two per week N

Hardee Lake #1-4 HARDEE Channel catfish One per week One per week N

Hardee Lake #1-4 HARDEE Largemouth bass, Bowfin, Gar Two per week Two per week N

Hillsborough River HILLSBOROUGH Bluegill One per week Two per week C

Lake Fairview ORANGE Black crappie One per week Two per week N

Lake Fairview ORANGE Bluegill Two per week Two per week N

Lake Fairview ORANGE Redear sunfish Two per week Two per week N

Lake Istokpoga HIGHLANDS White catfish One per month Two per week N

Edward Medard Reservoir HILLSBOROUGH Channel catfish Two per week Two per week N

Lake Ponte Vedra ST. JOHNS Red drum Two per week Two per week N

Lake Seminole PINELLAS Channel catfish Two per week Two per week N

Lake Seminole PINELLAS Largemouth bass, Bowfin, Gar Two per week Two per week N

Lake Thonotosassa HILLSBOROUGH Black crappie Two per week Two per week C

Lake Thonotosassa HILLSBOROUGH Channel catfish Two per week Two per week N

Lake Thonotosassa HILLSBOROUGH Largemouth bass, Bowfin, Gar One per week Two per week C

Lake Walk-In-Water POLK Black crappie One per month Two per week N

Lake Walk-In-Water POLK Largemouth bass less than 15 inches One per month One per week C

Starke Lake ORANGE Bluegill Two per week Two per week N

Starke Lake ORANGE Largemouth bass, Bowfin, Gar One per week Two per week N

Watertown Lake COLUMBIA Bluegill Two per week Two per week N

Watertown Lake COLUMBIA Largemouth bass, Bowfin, Gar One per week Two per week N

[gar-tracker]

Interesting that changed, a few years back they recommended no consumption of freshwater fish anywhere in Broward.

I stopped eating fish from those canals years ago.