Texas Health Officials Warn against Certain Fish

AUSTIN (AP) – State health officials have advised against eating certain fish caught in East Texas. The Texas Department of State Health Services on Monday issued a fish consumption advisory for parts of the Neches River Basin. The advisory includes Sam Rayburn Reservoir and the B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir. Lab testing of fish samples found elevated levels of mercury and dioxins. Agency officials say the advisory covers six species of fish caught between the State Highway 7 bridge west of Lufkin downstream to the U.S. Highway 96 bridge near Evadale and both reservoirs. Women of childbearing age and children are advised not to eat blue catfish larger than 30 inches, flathead catfish, gar, largemouth bass larger than 16 inches, smallmouth buffalo and spotted bass larger than 16 inches.