State Agencies Partner To Protect Floridians From Potential Mercury Contamination
~ DOH, DEP, FWC, DACS collaborate to monitor, inform public ~
For Information, Contact:
Office of Communications
(850) 245-4111
August 25, 2009
TALLAHASSEE - Despite the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) recent report that highlights widespread mercury contamination in fish nationwide, the Florida Department of Health (DOH), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) remind Floridians eating fish is an important part of a healthy diet.
Fish is an excellent source of nutrition for proper growth and development. It is important to eat a variety of fish. For most people, fish caught in Florida are not a significant health concern with regard to mercury; however, it is advisable for women of child-bearing age and young children to select fish that are low in mercury. For the general public, it is important to eat a variety of fish.
Each agency plays a specific role in studying mercury contamination and advising the public on how to best minimize their exposure to potentially harmful contaminants in fish:
- FWC determines the fish species to sample and collects those samples;
- DEP measures the levels of contaminants in the fish tissue;
- DOH determines the potential for adverse human health effects from consuming the fish, and issues fish consumption advisories when needed; and
- DACS provides input on issues related to commercially available seafood in Florida.
DOH, DEP, FWC, and DACS recognize the importance of monitoring mercury as it has potentially harmful environmental and human health consequences.
State-issued fish consumption advisories, when necessary, recommend individuals limit their consumption of fish from water bodies where mercury levels in fish are elevated, or even avoid eating fish altogether for species that are high in mercury.
Additional information about fish consumption advisories and fact sheets can be found at http://doh.state.fl.us/floridafishadvice/.
For more information on Florida’s efforts to monitor mercury contamination, visit http://myfwc.com/research (search keyword “mercury”) or http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/tmdl/.
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