'Do Not Eat' advisory issued for all fish in Philadelphia-area creek
PHILADELPHIA - Officials have issued a ‘Do Not Eat’ advisory for all species of fish in the Wissahickon Creek Basin after high levels of a "forever chemical" were found during recent sampling.
What we know:
The ‘Do Not Eat’ notice comes after officials say high levels of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, a forever chemical, were found in sampled fish tissue above the 0.04 parts per million advisory level.
The ‘Do Not Eat’ advisory includes all species of fish within the entire Wissahickon Creek basin, which extends from Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, officials said.
Trout stocking that was scheduled to take place on the river next week has been canceled.
What's next:
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will hold a public meeting in November to, "address the loss of angler opportunity on the stream and gather public input on future options for stocked trout management on the Wissahickon Creek."
Big picture view:
Environmental experts say Perfluorooctane Sulfonate is among a group of chemical substances that readily build up in fish tissue.
"Pennsylvania’s Fish Consumption Advisory Program has been evaluating sport-caught fish in Pennsylvania waters for various contaminants, including Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and heavy metals," experts say.
Pennsylvania recommends different quantities and frequencies for fish consumption based on the species and where it's caught. The state began collecting fish tissue samples to test for Perfluorooctane Sulfonate to compare it to those recommendations.
The Source: Information provided by the Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Health Department, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.