Warning: Limit eating fish caught in Great Miami

FRANKLIN — As the fishing season approaches, state officials are warning residents to avoid eating or limit eating certain kinds of fish in the local area due to hazardous contaminants.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has updated its fish consumption advisory for the 2010 fishing season based on detection levels found in samples taken in 28 waterways in the 2008 fishing season.

For fishing in the Great Miami River, a one meal per month advisory has been added and the scope of the advisory has changed for some river sections. This includes a do-not-eat advisory from the Lowhead Dam at Monument Avenue to Ohio 73 in Franklin near Middletown for all suckers due to Polychlorinated biphenyls levels, or PCBs. In addition, a one meal per month advisory is in effect for common carp and flathead catfish, channel catfish and smallmouth bass and white bass due to either PCB levels or mercury, according to the Ohio EPA.

A do-not-eat advisory extends for all sucker fish caught in the Great Miami from Ohio 73 to Harrison Pike due to PCB levels and a one meal every two months advisory applies to common carp, flathead catfish and striped bass hybrids due to PCB levels or lead. A one meal per month advisory has been applied to channel catfish, freshwater drum, saugeye, smallmouth buffalo and white bass due to PCB levels and mercury, according to the state.

For a complete list of fish advisories for Ohio waterways, visit epa.state.oh.us/dsw/fishadvisory/index.aspx.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.

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