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Announcement of Final Report
Health Advisory: Guidelines for Consumption of Fish and Shellfish from Tomales Bay (Marin County)
[10/05/04]

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The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announces the availability of the final report entitled “Health Advisory: Guidelines For Consumption of Fish and Shellfish From Tomales Bay (Marin County).” The report contains an evaluation of findings on mercury in fish and shellfish from Tomales Bay, and provides health guidelines for consumption of fish and shellfish from this water body.

The report and advisory were finalized after OEHHA considered comments that were received from members of the public at a public workshop held on May 17, 2004.

Responses to comments are included as an appendix of the final report.

Follow this link to download a copy of the final Health Advisory: Guidelines for Consumption of Fish and Shellfish from Tomales Bay (Marin County)

Follow this link to download a copy of the one page health advisory (html text below)

Follow this link to download the executive summary from the report

Follow this link to download a copy of the Tomales Bay Fact Sheet or View the fact sheet

Follow this link to download a copy of the Press Release

PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY* FOR TOMALES BAY

*This new state advisory,
replaces the Interim advisory issued in 2000

Fish are nutritious, providing a good source of protein and other nutrients, and are recommended as part of a healthy, balanced diet. As with many kinds of food, however, it is prudent to eat fish in moderation and to make informed choices about which fish are safe to eat. OEHHA provides this consumption advice so that people can continue to eat fish without putting their health at risk.

TOMALES BAY

FISH AND SHELLFISH CONSUMPTION GUIDELINES

WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE AND CHILDREN
AGED 17 YEARS AND YOUNGER
EAT NO MORE THAN:
DO NOT EAT

ALL SHARKS

ONCE A MONTH

Bat rays OR

ONCE A WEEK

California halibut; redtail, pile, or shiner surfperch; or red rock crab OR

3 TIMES A WEEK

Jacksmelt

WOMEN BEYOND CHILDBEARING AGE AND MEN
EAT NO MORE THAN:
ONCE A MONTH

Brown smoothhound sharks or leopard sharks OR

ONCE A WEEK

Pacific angel sharks or bat rays OR

3 TIMES A WEEK

California halibut; redtail or pile surfperch; or red rock crab OR

UNRESTRICTED

Jacksmelt or shiner surfperch

EAT SMALLER FISH OF LEGAL SIZE. Fish accumulate mercury as they grow.

DO NOT COMBINE FISH CONSUMPTION ADVICE.
If you eat multiple species or catch fish from other water bodies, the recommended guidelines for different species and locations should not be combined. For example, if you eat a meal of fish from the one meal per month category, you should not eat another fish species containing mercury for at least one month.

Meal size is assumed to be eight ounces for a 150-pound adult. If you weigh more or less than 150 pounds, add or subtract one ounce to your meal size, respectively, for each 20-pound difference.

CONSIDER YOUR TOTAL FISH CONSUMPTION: Fish from many sources (including stores and restaurants) can contain elevated levels of mercury and other contaminants. If you eat fish with lower contaminant levels, you can safely eat more fish. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults eat at least two servings of fish per week. Shrimp, king crab, scallops, farmed catfish, wild salmon, oysters, tilapia, flounder, and sole generally contain some of the lowest levels of mercury.

THIS FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY DOES NOT APPLY TO COMMERCIAL OYSTERS, CLAMS, AND MUSSELS FROM TOMALES BAY. Elevated levels of mercury have not been found in commercially grown shellfish.

Follow this link to view Tomales Bay fish and shellfish species.

For more information, call:
(510) 622-3170, Dr. Margy Gassel, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

For information on mercury in commercial fish, contact:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

1 (888) SAFEFOOD or http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html

 
 
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