Be Careful Eating the Fish You Just Caught on the Columbia!
You took the family out fishing or got some much needed alone time with nature. You caught a huge one, or maybe several! You bring them home, but be careful before eating! There is a warning that was issued by the Washington State Department of Health. They're telling people to watch the amount of several species of fish they eat if they were caught along the Columbia River from the I-90 bridge near Vantage to the McNary Dam along the Washington-Oregon border. According to the State Department of Health they found higher levels of mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in many different species of fish.
So, if you caught fish in that rather large area, be careful. High mercury levels can make you, and especially kids and the elderly, very ill. Click here to see the amount of each type of fish is safe to eat, and in the meantime, maybe find a different fishing spot!