Due to these efforts, I have been recognized by several government-spending watchdog groups. 3 Rep. Ron Kind Industry is a major source of many kinds of pollution affecting our nation's fisheries. Mercury emissions can be transported through the air or deposited on the soil. In either case, mercury can enter lakes and streams, either by deposition from the air or in water runoff. Once mercury enters the water, it can accumulate in fish and animal tissue in its most toxic form.
Fish are the organisms most affected by mercury in our lakes and streams.
Human exposure to mercury occurs primarily through eating these contaminated fish. Exposure to high levels of mercury has been associated with serious neurological and developmental effects in humans. Accorging to numerous U.S. health experts, people who consume average amounts of a variety of commercially available fish as part of a balance diet are not likely to consume harmful amounts of mercury. Recent studies have found that mercury, a toxic chemical exempted from regulation under the Clean Air Act, poses a significant health threat to pregnant women and children with diets high in freshwater fish. Legislation has been introduced regarding mercury emissions as well.