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State Officials Issue Warning about Toxins in Galveston Bay Fish Last Edited: Tuesday, 08 Jul 2008, 12:42 PM CDT Created: Tuesday, 08 Jul 2008, 12:42 PM CDT Galveston beach FOX 26 News
Related Items Links Seafood Health on myFOX Health or just enabling jstl so that we can just write ${bean.property} and jsp takes care of the new lines. -->Simone Ford

GALVESTON  --  The Texas Department of State Health Services has issued a warning telling people to limit the amount of fish they eat from Galveston Bay. The warning comes after a two-year study showed elevated levels of toxins in the fish.

This advisory focuses mainly on Chocolate Bay, East Bay, West Bay, Trinity Bay and contiguous waters. Spotted Seatrout and catfish are the major concerns but other species such as red drum, black drum and flounder were said to be safe to eat.

The study showed increased levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, in the two fish.

Adults are asked to limit their consumption of the two fish to no more than one 8-ounce meal a month. Women who are nursing or pregnant and children should not eat the two fish at all.

Long term affects of these toxins can be cancer and reproductive, immune system, developmental and liver problems. There is even a chance of skin rashes, liver damage, and weight loss.

This advisory does not prevent people from catching or possessing these fish. The state says the contaminated fish do not pose a threat to other recreational uses of the bay such as swimming or other contact recreational activities.

Wow...so much for what makes me happy.  I love to fish and speckled trout are one of my fav catches/dishes.  Now, it seems that we can't enjoy that simple pleasure anymore.  And the bad thing for me is that I just fried up a mess of the yummy buggers a 3 weeks ago.  Now I have to wonder if I have injured my entire family with a fish dinner! 

I guess I'd better really get into freshwater fishing now!