Date: January 8, 2007
Call: George E. Selling price, Jr., Superintendent, (508) 349-3785 x202
Wellness officials in Wellfleet and Truro and Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent George Rate announce that they have been notified this week by the Massachusetts Division of General public Overall health (MDPH) of a fish usage advisory at Duck and Great Ponds in Wellfleet and Ryder Pond in Truro. The MDPH advisory is primarily based on average fish-sampling results from the Section of Environmental Safety (DEP) that confirmed that mercury in fish from these three ponds was at or earlier mentioned the Meals and Drug Administration’s Action Level for mercury of 1. mg/kg. Fish from the other two ponds sampled, Gull and Herring in Wellfleet, ended up underneath point out advisory criteria for mercury.
Mercury may accumulate in folks who usually take in fish contaminated with mercury so major to an greater danger of well being consequences. Due to the fact of overall health worries involved with publicity to mercury, the MDPH recommends the typical general public not eat any fish from Duck and Fantastic Ponds in Wellfleet and Ryder Pond in Truro. Fishing is still allowed in the ponds, but fish ought to be unveiled and not consumed. Although mercury can accumulate in fish to ranges that are sometimes 1000’s of times better than the surrounding waters, this metal’s focus in precise pond drinking water is predictably incredibly low. Therefore, swimming, boating and dealing with of fish are not very likely to expose folks to elevated levels of mercury. The Massachusetts Department of Public Wellbeing experienced earlier (in 1994 and 2001) suggested towards freshwater fish usage by expecting girls, nursing moms and youthful young children, because of noticed mercury contamination in pond fish throughout the condition.
In all, fish from five seashore ponds have been sampled for mercury final spring by DEP, at the ask for of a staff of US Geological Survey and Countrywide Park Services researchers who are studying the atmospheric deposition of mercury, and its accumulation in lakes, on both equally east and west US coasts.
Mercury is unveiled into the environment from the combustion of both of those fossil fuels and sound wastes from area and regional sources to pollute normally pristine lakes and ponds, like all those below on the Cape. After deposited in the ponds, mercury gets concentrated in predatory fish at the prime of the food chain. A bigger accumulation of mercury in fish is expected in the more acidic ponds, like Duck, Wonderful and Ryder. Sampling of the remaining 15 named kettle ponds within the seashore is prepared for this spring.
Freshwater ponds and the aquatic animals that inhabit them are very delicate to atmospheric deposition. Seashore researchers are worried with and continue on to keep an eye on atmospheric air pollution and its impacts to these crucial habitats.
In addition, as noted by Northeast States Coordinated for Air Use Administration (NESCAUM), modern attempts by the six northeastern states and the Jap Canadian Provinces have resulted in a significant minimize in mercury emissions into the atmosphere.
Added info about the intake advisory can be found via this website link to the Massachusetts Department of General public Health and fitness web-site.
-NPS-
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