News Release
June 26, 2013
The Texas
Department of State Health Services has issued revised fish consumption
advisories for certain Texas waters. The following advisories are in effect:
San Jacinto River – Houston Ship Channel:
People should limit or avoid the consumption of all species of fish and blue
crab from the Houston Ship Channel, the San Jacinto River below the Lake
Houston Dam and all contiguous waters north of Highway 146. The advisory was
issued after laboratory testing of fish and blue crab from the San Jacinto
River and Houston Ship Channel indicated that concentrations of dioxins,
pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs exceeded DSHS health guidelines.
Regular or long-term consumption of fish or blue crab from these waters may
increase the likelihood of long-term health risks.
Women of
childbearing age and children under 12 years old should not consume any species
of fish or blue crab taken from the San Jacinto River and Houston Ship Channel.
Women past childbearing age and adult men should consume no more than one meal
per month.
Galveston Bay: DSHS has removed the
consumption advisory for spotted seatrout from a portion of Galveston and
Trinity Bays and all of East and West Bays. The area is south of a line from
Red Bluff Point to Five-Mile Cut Marker to Houston Point. Laboratory testing of
spotted seatrout from these areas indicated that concentrations of dioxins and
PCBs have decreased to acceptable levels and no longer pose a significant
health risk.
Upper Galveston Bay: Consumption of spotted
seatrout from the Upper Galveston Bay continues to pose a health risk and the
advisory remains in effect for this area. Concentrations of dioxins and PCBs exceed
DSHS health guidelines. Regular or long-term consumption of spotted seatrout from
these waters may result in adverse health effects. An advisory also remains in
effect for blue crab from this area.
Women of
childbearing age and children under 12 years old should not consume spotted
seatrout from Upper Galveston Bay. Women past childbearing age and adult men
are advised to consume no more than one meal per month. Upper Galveston Bay
includes the portion of the Galveston Bay estuary north of a line from Red
Bluff Point to Five-Mile Cut Marker to Houston Point.
An advisory for all
species of catfish remains in effect for all of the Galveston Bay System.
To view the map,
advisories and other information about fish testing, go to www.dshs.state.tx.us/seafood.
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(News Media
Contact: Christine Mann, DSHS Assistant Press Officer, 512-776-7511.)
DSHS Press Office
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