Possibly harmful levels of mercury have been found in some fish at Camanche and Pardee Reservoirs. Fish that tested at high levels at Camanche Reservoir include bluegill, channel and hard head catfish, crappie, carp and largemouth bass. Some channel catfish and largemouth bass at Pardee Reservoir also tested at high levels. Mercury has been identified in certain fish species from many of the waters and fish of California, with most of it coming from past gold mining.

The public health departments of Amador, and Calaveras, and San Joaquin counties and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) advise the public to follow current stategeneral fish eating precautions published by the California Environmental Protection Agency:

Women 18-45 Years, Pregnant & Nursing Women
Children under Age 18 Years

Limit eating freshwater fish to one meal a week

• One meal = 6 ounces of cooked fish or 8 ounces of uncooked fish for an adult.
• One meal = 2 ounces of cooked fish or 3 ounces of uncooked fish for a child.

Other Adults

Limit eating freshwater fish to two meals a week.

All Persons

• Eat less predatory fish [bass] and bottom feeding fish [catfish and carp] that are likely
  to have higher levels of mercury.
• Rainbow Trout & Kokanee are usually safest to eat.
• Eat smaller fish (within the legal size) – they have less mercury.
• Eat fish from a variety of locations around lakes, reservoirs or rivers.
• Clean fish before cooking, eat only muscle or fillet – throw away guts, liver & skin.

For more information, visit the recreation area concession and EBMUD Watershed and Recreation offices for printed brochures.

EBMUD would like to assure visitors to Pardee and Camanche that mercury levels in these reservoirs meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality criteria and the drinking water meets or is better than California Department of Public Health requirements.

Additional information on:  Methylmercury in Sport Fish: Information for Fish Consumers

Printable Flyer:  CLICK HERE

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