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FISH

Health Advisory for Selected Water Bodies in the Northern Sierra Nevada Foothills (Nevada, Placer, and Yuba Counties)
[12/12/03]

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Based on evaluation of data from this Sierra region OEHHA recommends that females of childbearing age and children aged 17 and younger should eat no bass from Camp Far West Reservoir. Additionally, they should eat no more than two meals per month of channel catfish from that site. At Lake Combie, Lake Englebright, Rollins Reservoir, and Scotts Flat Reservoir, consumption of bass and channel catfish should be restricted for this group to no more than one or two meals per month for these species, respectively. No more than two meals per month of any trout species should be consumed from Deer Creek or no more than four meals per month of any trout species from mining areas of the Bear and South Yuba Rivers. For other fish in reservoirs or streams in this region and throughout California, it is recommended that females of childbearing age and children aged 17 and younger follow the recent U.S. EPA national freshwater sport fish consumption advice for pregnant or nursing women and young children of no more than four meals per month of fresh water fish (U.S. EPA, 2001).

OEHHA also recommends that females of childbearing age and children aged 17 and younger follow the FDA advice for pregnant women, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children on commercial fish consumption. FDA advises these individuals not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because of their high levels of mercury. FDA also recommends that these women can safely eat up to an average of 12 ounces per week of other cooked fish from a store or restaurant such as shellfish, canned fish, smaller ocean fish or farm-raised fish. Children should limit consumption to less than 12 ounces of cooked fish per week. Also, if 12 ounces of cooked fish from a store or restaurant are eaten in a given week, then sport fish caught in the Sierra Lakes region should not be eaten in the same week.

For the females beyond their childbearing years and adult males, OEHHA recommends that bass from Camp Far West Reservoir be consumed no more than two times per month. Additionally, consumption of channel catfish from this reservoir should be limited to no more than four meals per month. Consumption of all bass and channel catfish from Lake Combie, Rollins Reservoir, and Scotts Flat Reservoir should be restricted to no more than two or four meals per month for these species, respectively. Consumption of all bass and channel catfish from Lake Englebright should be limited to no more than four meals per month. Additionally, no more than four meals per month of any trout species should be consumed from Deer Creek or no more than twelve meals per month of any trout species from mining areas of the Bear and South Yuba Rivers. Because of the general pattern of mercury contamination in all fish sampled from the Sierra Lakes region, OEHHA advises that consumption of all other fish for which no site specific advice is given above be restricted to no more than 12 meals per month for females beyond their childbearing years and adult males from any of the above sites. Additionally, OEHHA recommends that females beyond their childbearing years and adult males take into account the commercial fish they eat, especially high-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish. If they consume these species, they should reduce consumption of sport fish caught in this Sierra region accordingly.

Fish Consumption Guidelines for Females of Childbearing Age and Children Aged 17 and Younger
Location and Fish Species	Do Not Eat More Than*
	Meals per Month
Camp Far West Reservoir
All Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Do Not Eat
Channel Catfish . . . . . . . . . .	2
Lake Combie, Lake Englebright, Rollins Reservoir, and Scotts Flat Reservoir
All Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
Channel Catfish . . . . . . . . . .	2
Bear River below Highway 20, South Yuba River
Below Lake Spalding
All Trout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	4
Deer Creek
All Trout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2
All of the Above Sites**
Other sport fish species . . . .	4
* Consumption limits for each species assume that no other contaminated fish are being eaten. If you eat multiple fish species or fish at multiple sites, limit your total consumption to the amount recommended for the fish with the fewest recommended meals. If you also eat fish from a store or restaurant, reduce your consumption of sport fish from the Sierra Lakes region accordingly. **All fish species were not evaluated at all sites. If available, use consumption advice for the most similar species at the same site or the same species at a nearby site, whichever recommends the fewest meals. If consumption advice is not available for that species at any site, follow U.S. EPA national guidance for pregnant or nursing women and young children recommending consumption of no more than one meal per week of freshwater sport fish.

Fish are nutritious and should be part of a healthy, balanced diet. As with many other kinds of food, however, it is prudent to consume fish in moderation. OEHHA provides this consumption advice to the public so that people can continue to eat fish without putting their health at risk.

Fish Consumption Guidelines for Females Beyond Their Childbearing Years and Adult Males
Location and Fish Species	DO Not Eat More Than*
	Meals Per Month
Camp Far West Reservoir
All Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2
Channel Catfish . . . . . . . . . .	4
Lake Combie, Rollins Reservoir, and Scotts Flat Reservoir
All Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2
Channel Catfish . . . . . . . . . .	4
Lake Englebright
All Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	4
Channel Catfish . . . . . . . . . .	4
Bear River below Highway 20, South Yuba River
Below Lake Spalding
All Trout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	12
Deer Creek
All Trout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	8
All of the Above Sites **
Other sport fish species . . . .	12
* Consumption limits for each species assume that no other contaminated fish are being eaten. If you eat multiple fish species or fish at multiple sites, limit your total consumption to the amount recommended for the fish with the fewest recommended meals. If you also eat fish from a store or restaurant, reduce your consumption of sport fish from the Sierra Lakes region accordingly. **All fish species were not evaluated at all sites. If available, use consumption advice for the most similar species at the same site or the same species at a nearby site, whichever recommends the fewest meals. For fish species caught from the listed water bodies but not included in the guidelines, OEHHA recommends consumption of no more than 12 meals per month of any fresh water sport fish from the Sierra Lakes region.

Sierra Lakes Sport Fish

Black Crappie ( Pomoxis nigromaculatus )

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Brown Trout ( Salmo trutta)

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctalus)

Green Sunfish ( Lepomis cyanellus)

Largemouth Bass ( Micropterus salmoides)

Rainbow Trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Smallmouth Bass ( Micropterus dolomieu)

Spotted Bass ( Micropterus punctulatus)

Note: Pictures are not to scale

Additional information related to the development of the state advisory, including a report and fact sheet, is also available: