Please
read these Freshwater Fish Consumption Advisories from the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Center for
Environmental Health before you plan to consume your catch.
Neponset
River
The
Massachusetts Department of Public Health is urging
residents to restrict consumption of two species of fish, Brown
bullheads and White
suckers, from the Neponset River. In the Neponset River,
the two species have concentrations of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) higher than federal safety standards allow,
recent tests have found. The advisory is for a stretch of
the river between the Walter Baker Dam in Boston (Lower
Mills) and the Hollingsworth & Vose Dam in Walpole.
Children under 12, pregnant women, women of childbearing age
who may become pregnant, and nursing mothers shouldn't eat
Brown bullheads or White suckers from this water body. The
general public should not consume any White suckers from
this water body. The general public should limit consumption
of Brown bullheads from this water body to two meals per
month. A Brown bullhead consumption restriction has been in
place since 1994, but the White sucker restriction is new.
December 2007.
Massapoag
Lake, Sharon. Because of mercury contamination in Largemouth bass, children younger than 12 years of age,
pregnant women, women of childbearing age who may become
pregnant, and nursing mothers should not eat any Largemouth
bass from this water body. Also, the general public should
limit consumption of Largemouth bass to two meals per
month. December 2007.
Willet
Pond, Walpole, Norwood and Westwood. Because of high
levels of mercury contamination in the Largemouth bass in Willet Pond, children younger than 12
years of age, pregnant women, women of childbearing age who
may become pregnant, and nursing mothers should not eat
Largemouth bass from this water body. Also, the general
public should limit consumption of Largemouth bass to two
meals per month. December 2007.
Also
in local towns:
Charles
River (Between the South Natick Dam in Natick and the Museum
of Science Dam in Boston/Cambridge) - Boston, Cambridge,
Dedham, Dover, Natick, Needham, Newton, Watertown,
Wellesley, Weston, Waltham. Because of elevated levels
of PCBs and pesticides in certain fish species in this
segment of the Charles River, children younger than 12 years
of age, pregnant women, women of childbearing age who may
become pregnant, and nursing mothers should not eat Carp or
Largemouth bass from this water body. The general public
should not consume any Carp from this water body. The
general public should limit consumption of Largemouth bass
to two meals per month.
Charles
River (Between the South Natick Dam in Natick and the Medway
Dam in Franklin and Medway) - Dover, Franklin, Medfield,
Medway, Millis, Natick, Norfolk, Sherborn. Because of
high levels of mercury in particular fish species in this
segment of the Charles River, children younger than 12 years
of age, pregnant women, women of childbearing age who may
become pregnant, and nursing mothers should not eat Largemouth bass from this waterway. Also, the general public
should limit consumption of Largemouth bass to two meals
per month.
Cochato
River, Ice Pond and Sylvan Lake, Randolph, Holbrook,
Braintree. Because of high levels of pesticides found in
the fish in these waterbodies, children younger than 12
years of age, pregnant women, women of childbearing age who
may become pregnant, and nursing mothers should not eat any
fish from these waterbodies. The general public should not
consume any Brown
bullhead, Carp, or American
eel from these waterbodies. Also, the general public
should limit consumption of non-affected fish from this
water body to two meals per month. December 2007.
Rumford
River from Glue Factory Pond Dam; Fulton, Kingman &
Cabot ponds; Norton reservoir, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton.
The general public should not consume any fish from this
water body because of high levels of dioxin and pesticides
inside the fish. December 2007.
Contact the MA Dept. of Public Health
Center for Environmental Health with questions:
617-624-5757, or click
here.
