BAY DELTA A 0.07 FISHING Fair D in the waters of San Francisco Bay and Delta rivers, and some eat the striped bass, trout, croaker and other fish they catch. Fish are nutritious, containing both protein and 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2009 2006 2003 2000 1997 1994 CONTEXT Many people enjoy fishing F I S H S A F E F O R E AT I N G PCB S DELTA Fair 60 Good 0 21 BAY LEGEND Sacramento Sucker Shiner Surfperch Carp PPB 120 2011 2009 2006 2003 2000 2009 2006 2003 2000 1997 1994 240 INDICATOR This indicator evaluates con- Poor 180 ESTUARY . . S TAT U S . . Fair . . . .T R E N D . . . . No change .....BENCHMARK..... M E R C U Shiner Y Surfperch R BAY 0.17 pcb BAY STATUS & TRENDS Estuary water 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2009 2006 2003 2000 1997 1994 quality is fair with regard to the fish being safe to eat. Some species, such as salmon and trout, are safe for consumption, and many pollutants are below thresholds for concern across all species, including arsenic, cadmium, Poor LEGEND B Jacksmelt GRADE C Striped Bass Halibut D Black Bass Fair 0.57 Poor 0.47 Fair PPM 0.27 0.37 A centrations of pollutants of concern in the tissue of fish species popular for consump- tion by anglers. Pollutant concentrations in fish are compared to goals established by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to protect public health. Comparisons presented here are general indications of levels of concern. Consumers can reduce their exposure to pollutants by following consumption advice developed specifically for the Bay and Delta by OEHHA. Good 0.07 Good 0.00 fishing State health hazard guidelines Sacramento Sucker Carp DELTA omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce the risk of heart disease and improve brain development in unborn babies and children. Pollutants in Estuary fish, however, can reach concentra- tions that pose health risks outweighing the Photo: Max Eissler benefits. High con- sumption rates among subsistence fishers and some cultural groups make fish contamination an environmental justice issue estuarywide. Poor 0.57 2015 Fair GRADE C Poor 0.47 STATE OF THE ESTUARY B 0.17 PPM 0.27 0.37 BAY Good Good 1 8 0.00 chlorpyrifos, diazi- non, dieldrin, DDTs, PAHs, PBDEs, and selenium. However, limited consumption of many popular Es- tuary fish species is advised by OEHHA due primarily to con- tamination from two legacy pollutants: mercury and PCBs. Neither of these pollut- ants has shown signs of decline over the past 20 years. (The mercury traces back to historic gold and mercury mining and the PCBs, now banned, to old equipment, building materials, and other sources). THREATS & CHALLENGES Mercury and PCB concentrations in some Estuary fish species can present a health risk to fish consumers, especially children and fetuses, which can be exposed via their mother’s diet. Mercury can negatively affect how the brain develops in unborn babies and children, including potential decreases in learning ability, language skills, attention, and memory. It is especially important for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding to follow OEHHA’s consumption guidelines. Men, women and children alike are at risk from PCBs that, as they accumulate over time, can cause cancer and developmental problems.