Southeastern IL under fishing advisory for methylmercury

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued its updated consumption advisories for sport fish caught in Illinois waters. According to this map , the southeastern Illinois counties of the Tri-State are included in this advisory.

Edwards, Wabash, White and Wayne counties are under an advisory due to methylmercury. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), methylmercury, also known as mercury, is a highly toxic organic compound that people in the United States encounter most frequently. Officials say most people have at least trace amounts of methylmercury in their bodies, reflecting the compound’s prevalence in the environment.

Officials say this methylmercury advisory applies to all Illinois waters. IDPH officials recommend that women of childbearing age and children limit their consumption of predatory fish like bass, sauger, walleye, flathead catfish, gar, muskellunge, northern pike, trout and salmon to one meal per week, unless more restrictive advisories are in place.

IDPH officials say there are some fish populations that have polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). EPA officials say PCBs are a group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms. PCBs have no known taste or smell and range in consistency from an oily to a waxy solid. PCBs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until manufacturing was banned in 1979, and officials note they have a range of toxicity.

So where are the local bodies of water that are of most concern to the IDPH?

The Wabash River

IDPH says impacted areas include Edwards, Wabash and White counties. If people choose to eat the fish they get out of the Wabash River, the IDPH recommends the following:

• Sauger
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • If 12″ or longer…
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children
• Spotted Bass
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • If 11″ or longer…
    • One meal per week
• Common Carp
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week for women of childbearing age and children
• White Bass
  • Contaminant: Mercury and PCBs
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children
• Shovelnose Sturgeon
  • Contaminant: PCBs
  • If 27″ or longer…
    • 1 meal per month
    • For the eggs…
      • One meal per month
• Freshwater Drum
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week for women of childbearing age and children

The Little Wabash River and Tributaries

IDPH says impacted areas include Edwards, Wayne and White counties. If people choose to eat the fish they get out of the Little Wabash River and its tributaries, the IDPH recommends the following:

• Bluegill
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week for women of childbearing age and children
• White Crappie
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week for women of childbearing age and children
• Common Carp
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children
• Largemouth Bass
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children
• Spotted Bass
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children
• Yellow Bullhead
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children
• Smallmouth Buffalo
  • Contaminant: Mercury
  • All sizes
    • One meal per week
    • One meal per month for women of childbearing age and children

What do those chemicals do?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PCBs alter thyroid and reproductive function in both males and females and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular and liver disease and diabetes. NIH officials say women are at high risk of giving birth to infants of low birth weight. Officials say as a result, those infants are at high risk for several diseases over the course of their lives.

As for methylmercury, officials with the NIH say that once incorporated into the body, the compound easily penetrates the blood-brain barrier and causes damage to the central nervous system, particularly in fetuses.

Is this a new problem?

According to officials with IDPH, fish contaminant monitoring has been conducted in Illinois for the last 50 years. Over the history of the program, the frequency and magnitude of PCB detections in Illinois fish have steadily decreased. Methylmercury levels in Illinois fish have remained unchanged.

How often does the IDPH update its advisories?

Officials say fish consumption advisories are updated each spring. Advisories may also be updated at any time in response to detections of contaminants at “Do Not Eat” levels.

How can I tell if the fish I caught made me sick?

The IDPH clarifies that eating contaminated fish doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get sick. However, over time, harmful levels of contaminants can build up in someone’s body if advisory recommendations are not followed. This is of special concern if the person is pregnant or is nursing a baby.

As previously established, IDPH says mercury causes problems with the nervous system that can lead to learning difficulties in children. PCBs and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may cause low birth weights and delays in physical development. Liver damage and cancer are other adverse health outcomes associated with contaminants in fish.

Officials with IDPH advise that people should speak with their doctor or medical provider about any concerns they have.

Conclusion

According to officials with the IDPH, fish advisories are issued to keep people’s exposure to contaminants below harmful levels. They emphasize that the advisories are not intended to discourage anyone from eating fish but should be used as a guide to eating fish low in contaminants.

Officials with the IDPH say fish are a good source of lean protein and are rich in other nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce someone’s risk for cardiovascular disease and are essential for childhood development.

A spokesperson for IDPH says, “Following our fish consumption recommendations is the best way to maximize the health benefits of eating locally caught fish.”

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