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Stephanie Hemphill
St. Paul, Minn.

Only minor change needed in safe fish guidelines

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A new study shows fish in most Minnesota lakes outside the metro area have low or undetectable levels of chemicals called PFOS.

Previous studies have shown fish in many lakes in the Twin Cities have enough PFOS to prompt a health advisory, warning anglers to limit their intake of certain fish.

The new study tested 55 lakes and found only one lake, Zumbro Lake near Rochester, with enough PFOS to prompt an advisory.

The Minnesota Department of Health's Pat McCann said the biggest health concern outside the metro is mercury in fish.

"Pan fish like crappies and bluegill are lower in mercury, and the predator fish like walleyes and northerns are higher," McCann said. "And the bigger fish of those, walleyes and northerns, are more contaminated because they've lived longer, have had more time to accumulate the contaminants."

The Health Department and the DNR have information on their websites. And this year they've produced booklets on safe fish-eating in Spanish, Hmong, and Vietnamese.

PFOS has been shown to affect the thyroid, hormones, and liver of lab animals.

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On the Net: Lake- and river-specific guidelines

Statewide safe eating guidelines

MDH resources in Hmong and Spanish

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)