10-03-2005, 03:57 AM
The DWR issued a mercury health advisory for the eating of certain species of ducks from the Southern Great Salt Lake.
[li][url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck.php"]http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck.php[/url]
[li][url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck_qa.php"]http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck_qa.php[/url][/li]
From an angling perspective, I don't think this is a cause for panic, but I do think we need to keep an eye on the findings as the DWR runs further tests this fall. If the ducks from the Northern part of the GSL show elevated mercury levels as well, then there might be some concern for fisheries adjacent to the GSL (ie: Willard bay, lower Bear River). Hopefully, the contamination will be localized more to the South, and niether ducks nor fisheries in the North will be at risk. I don't do much waterfowling anymore, but I imagine that ardent duck hunters are quite concerned about this.
I guess this is another example that Utah lake really is comparatively safe when put against some other bodies of water, in spite of all the fuss. [unsure]
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[li][url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck.php"]http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck.php[/url]
[li][url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck_qa.php"]http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/mercury_duck_qa.php[/url][/li]
From an angling perspective, I don't think this is a cause for panic, but I do think we need to keep an eye on the findings as the DWR runs further tests this fall. If the ducks from the Northern part of the GSL show elevated mercury levels as well, then there might be some concern for fisheries adjacent to the GSL (ie: Willard bay, lower Bear River). Hopefully, the contamination will be localized more to the South, and niether ducks nor fisheries in the North will be at risk. I don't do much waterfowling anymore, but I imagine that ardent duck hunters are quite concerned about this.
I guess this is another example that Utah lake really is comparatively safe when put against some other bodies of water, in spite of all the fuss. [unsure]
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