Mercury levels in fish caught in two areas of southern Utah have prompted state officials to issue warnings against consuming too many of the fish.
Health advisories were issued for largemouth bass from Gunlock Reservoir, Washington County, and brown trout from Mill Creek, Grand County. Adults should eat no more than two eight-ounce servings per month of the bass from that reservoir; three eight-ounce meals of brown trout from Mill Creek near Moab can be safely eaten per month, according to the advisories. Some adults should consume even less.
If more than the recommended levels are consumed over a long period, says the state, that could result in taking in more mercury than Environmental Protection Agency recommendations. Any health risk is based on long-term consumption and not tied to eating fish occasionally, says a Utah Department of Environmental quality press release.