Fish Advisory for Canton

Great catch, but better not serve it for dinner.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued new and updated Public Health Fish Consumption Advisories earlier this month to the Town of Canton. John Ciccotelli presented the advisories to the Board of Selectmen at the October 18 selectmen's meeting.

The state issued the following:

• A new advisory for Reservoir Pond in Canton due to elevated levels of mercury.
• A new advisory for Ponkopoag Pond due to elevated levels of mercury.
• An advisory for part of the Neponset River, between Hollingsworth and Vose Dam in Walpole and the Water Baker Dam in Boston. This is due to elevated levels of PCBs and DDT.
• An advisory for the Canton River, flowing between the Neponset River and the Neponset Street Dam, due to elevated levels of PCBs and DDT.

For fish contaminated with PCBs and DDT, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health advises "children under 12, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant" to not eat any of that fish. All other people are advised not to eat American eel or white sucker and to limit consumption of all other fish to two meals per month from this area.

For fish contaminated with mercury, the Massachusetts DPH advises "children under 12, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant" to not eat chain pickerel or largemouth bass. All other people are advised to limit consumption of chain pickerel and largemouth bass to two meals per month.

For more information, go to www.mass.gov/dph/fishadvisories or call the Massachusetts DPH at 617-624-5757.