High levels of mercury found in Lake Gaston fish

Health officials have found high levels of mercury in walleye fish in Lake Gaston and have issued an advisory for certain groups of people to avoid eating the fish.

Young children and women who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive should not eat fish from the lake in the area of John H. Kerr Dam and downstream 18 miles to the border with North Carolina, Virginia Department of Health officials warn.  Otherwise, officials are advising the public not to eat more than two meals a month of walleye from that area of the lake.

North Carolina Division of Public Health officials recently found the high levels of mercury in fish tissue samples, a news release said. The levels found exceed the amount officials consider safe for long-term human consumption. The average person’s consumption is not considered cause for concern, the release said.

Mercury builds up in fish to levels greater than those in surrounding water over time, the release said. Swimming and waterskiing in the lake are considered safe. Health officials also warn that cleaning and cooking fish do not rid them of mercury.

They also recommend eating smaller, younger fish that are within legal limits, having fewer or smaller servings and eating a variety of species from different creeks, rivers or streams.