The fish were found to contain too many toxic contaminants. More stringent advisories also were issued Wednesday for specific fish in specific waters due to high levels of mercury. The Conestoga River was the only Lancaster County waterway on that list. Tests on rock bass caught in the lower reaches of the Conestoga River, near the confluence with the Susquehanna River, revealed levels of mercury that warranted a consumption advisory to limit meals to two per month. In January, EPA developed a standard for when to issue fish-consumption advisories based on mercury contamination.
Mercury can enter surface waters naturally from rock and soil as well as from industrial activity.
According to Hutcheson, the three Pennsylvania agencies banded together to examine the EPA's recommendation, and they decided to issue an umbrella consumption advisory that covers all species of fish caught from all state waters, and guards against all contaminants. By having one overarching statewide advisory of one meal per week for all fish, we can ensure that Pennsylvanians heading out to our waterways can safely enjoy the fish they catch. Fish consumption advisories are issued in Pennsylvania for a number of contaminants, such as mercury, PCBs and chlordane. The umbrella advisory issued Wednesday does not preclude state regulators from calling for more stringent advisories in specific waters for specific fish if needed. People who regularly eat sport fish, women of child-bearing age and children are most susceptible to contaminants that can build up in fish over time.