Mercury in volcanic lakes

[PiratePast40]

I was surprised to find size and catch limits for specific lakes that are based on mercury levels. What was even more surprising is that the levels are naturally high at some of the volcanic lakes that still have some activity such as warm water vents.

I thought they were just trying to cut down on the number of fish taken from the lakes. East lake in the Newberry caldera in eastern Oregon is a good example. We were there last month and really hitting the big German Browns. Wondering if there are other states besides Oregon that have those conditions in lakes without a natural water discharge.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Some quick Googling turned up this in AZ:

http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/assessment/download/fish-pleasant.pdf

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

The bigger the fish the higher the contaminant level in their body. I haven't seen catch limits based on contaminant but have seen warning signs recommend how much you can eat safely.

 

[RicMic]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

I can remember the days when Lake St. Clair in Michigan, was entirely shut down to fishing due to mercury levels and then after a couple years it was catch and release only for a couple more years and this is one of the biggest fishing lakes in the world.

 

[sfy]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

here in Utah, we have several lakes with a mercury warning. and it covers many different species of fish and waterfowl
http://www.mercury.utah.gov/fish_wildlife.htm#

 

[RicMic]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Incidently, I used to work for a company that used mercury in their products, so we would have "mercury awareness" meetings, with scientists teaching us about the dangers of mercury. NEVER eat ANY big old predatory fish, such as shark, swordfish or most varieties of tuna.

 

[Doernuth]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Many of the warnings about eating fish from inland lakes involve mercury. Lake erie has issues with mercury and pcb's.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

I can remember the days when Lake St. Clair in Michigan, was entirely shut down to fishing due to mercury levels and then after a couple years it was catch and release only for a couple more years and this is one of the biggest fishing lakes in the world.

wow, when was that?

 

[RicMic]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Late 60's

 

[dingbat]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

The problem is Methylmercury. Methylmercury contamination is a problem in every body of water in the world.


Methylmercury pollution is an indirect consequence of the burning of wastes containing inorganic mercury and from the burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal. Although inorganic mercury is only a trace constituent of such fuels, their large scale combustion in the United States alone results in release of some 80.2 tons (73 tonnes) of elemental mercury to the atmosphere each year, out of total anthropogenic emissions in the United States of 158 tons (144 tonnes).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_in_fish

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Late 60's

Did it had anything to do with Detroit's automobile industry? 40 yrs later, she's nice. Have you been back lately?

 

[RicMic]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Well Detroit is on the downstream side of St. Clair, it was industrial pollution, but from the St. Clair river and above. Dow Chemical was one name that was brought up. I grew up a couple hundred yards from Lake St. Clair, but haven't been back on it in a long time. I heard its cleaned up a lot, at least in part due to the zebra mussels.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

That's crazy to think that they shut down fishing all together because of pollution in a lake that big. It must have been a lot, lot of stuff dumped into it. It's pretty doggone clean now and the fishing is down right stupid. I can't wait to go back.

 

[Mntom]

Re: Mercury in volcanic lakes

Most ALL of the lakes here in northern Minnesota have consumption advisories due to mercury. I grew up in NE Ohio and can remember when Lake Erie was called a dead lake and the Cuyahoga river in Cleveland was capable (and did) of catching fire.