Mercury levels in nearshore fish from the Central Coast area: Important information for fish consumers

Several species of marine fish commonly caught in nearshore Central Coast waters may contain high levels of mercury. Several rockfish species, especially Black-and-Yellow, China, Copper, and Gopher, and sharks and bat rays are species of concern. People who routinely consume fish from nearshore waters are advised to follow the recent statewide coastal advisory released in November 2016 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) regarding consumption of these and other species. The advisory recommends “no consumption” of several fish species for women 18-45 years and for children 1-17 years, and limiting consumption of some species for all population groups. The advisory can be found online at http://oehha.ca.gov/advisories/statewide-advisory-eating-fish-california-coastal-locations-without-site-specific-advice. Site-specific advice was also developed for Elkhorn Slough, and can be viewed at http://oehha.ca.gov/advisories/elkhorn-slough.