Document rxVGyN4Xo8Q71LnEnpq1E1nRa

News release: Revised fish consumption advice issued for bluegill sunfish in Pool 2 of the... Page 1 of 2 AtJU e _ Minnesota Department of Health News Release March 28, 2006 Contact information Revised fish consumption advice issued for bluegill sunfish in Pool 2 of the Mississippi River PFOS measured in fish tissue poses health concern if eaten too often, state health officials say The Minnesota Departm ent of Health is revising the Fish Consum ption A dvisory to include guidelines on eating fish from Pool 2 of the Mississippi River that may contain PFOS, a perfluorochem ical (PFC). PFOS has been measured in the edible tissues of bluegill sunfish and sm allm outh bass at levels of health concern for people who eat these fish too often. Pool 2 refers to the section of the Mississippi River between the Hastings Darn and the Ford Dam in St. Paul, including some backwater lakes and connecting channels. MDH recommends that people who eat bluegill sunfish from Pool 2 of the Mississippi River lim it their consumption to one meal a week. Previously the consumption recommendation for bluegill sunfish was "unlim ited." The Department of Natural Resources has Special Regulations requiring that sm allm outh bass be im m ediately released after being caught from Pool 2. As this regulation should prevent people from eating sm allmouth bass, MDH is only revising the bluegill sunfish advice. Although channel catfish fillets and white bass also had low levels of PFCs, following the existing fish consumption advice based on mercury and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) will also protect people from exposures to PFCs. MDH developed the revised advice based on scientific information about the toxicity of PFOS. Laboratory research indicates that PFOS causes harmful changes in the livers of som e anim als. Like m ercury, PFOS binds to proteins throughout the fish rather than concentrating in fat. Special cleaning and cooking precautions used to reduce contaminants like PCBs that concentrate in fat are not effective with PFOS. A t this tim e, there is no inform ation about levels of PFOS in fish from areas of the M ississippi oth er than Pool 2. Over the next several months more sam pling data from Pool 2 and other areas is expected. These data were gathered as part of an investigation o f PFC releases from the 3M Cottage Grove facility. The toxicity of PFCs is the subject of active research. MDH continually reviews ongoing research on PFOS and other perfluorochemicals to ensure that Minnesota's health guidelines for contam inants in fish and w ater rem ain protective of people's health. A s new studies and science become available, the guidelines may be revised to reflect additional information. "W ith the fishing season coming up, this is a good tim e for all of us to rem em ber that fish are good to eat," says Pat McCann, "but we should make wise choices about which fish we eat and http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/fishadv032806.html 3/29/2006 News release: Revised fish consumption advice issued for bluegill sunfish in Pool 2 of the... Page 2 of 2 how often." People are advised to check out the statewide Safe Eating Guidelines or site-specific advice for the Mississippi River. Health experts, including MDH, recommend eating one to two meals of fish per week. Fish are a good low-fat source of protein and contain many vitam ins and minerals. Eating fish may help protect adults against cardiovascular disease. Pregnant women and women who m ay become pregnant should also eat fish because eating fish prom otes eye and brain developm ent in fetuses. More inform ation on the Minnesota Fish Consumption Advisory may be found on the MDH Web site. Updated site-specific advice for the 2006 fishing season will be available online by the state walleye opener in May. PFCs are a group of manmade chemicals that have been used for decades to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water. See Perfluorochemicals and Health for more inform atio n. -MDH- For more information, contact: Doug Schultz MDH Communications (6 5 1 ) 201-4993 Pat McCann Environmental Health (6 5 1 ) 201-4915 I Return to top | MDH Home | News Releases | MDH HOME I ABOUT US | LIBRARY | NORTH STAR MAIN CATEGORIES: Health Data & Statistics | Diseases & Conditions |Terrorism & Natural Disasters | Facilities & Professions | Health Care & Coverage | Minnesota's Public Health System | People & Environment | Policy. Economics & Legislation Comments a nd Questions | Phone Number. Address and Directions | Privacy Statement and Disclaimer Updated Tuesday, 28-Mar-2006 11:43:11 CST http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/fishadv032806.html 17 3/29/2006