| NEW JERSEY ISSUES WINTER
FLOUNDER CONSUMPTION ADVISORIES
(06/18) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental
Protection and the Department of Health and Senior Services today
announced new fish consumption advisories for winter flounder caught
in certain New Jersey waters. DEP and DHSS advise anglers and winter
flounder consumers to limit their consumption to one meal per month.
This advisory applies to winter flounder taken from the Raritan
Bay and Hudson River/Upper New York Bay waters. There are no advisories
for winter flounder caught outside of these areas.
Data indicate that fish in these waters have levels of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) above advisory levels. This advisory is based on
cancer and non-cancer risk for the general and high- risk populations.
Excessive exposure to PCBs has been shown to cause a number of serious
health effects, including impacts on the nervous system of developing
fetuses, the immune system and the reproductive system. PCBs are
also considered a probable human carcinogen.
The winter flounder season extends from March 23 to May 21.
Complete fish consumption advisories for 2006 will be issued shortly.
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