Results from fish tissue collected from Quesnel Lake on Aug. 9 and 10, 2014, are consistent with provincial background data collected from 54 uncontaminated lakes across the province, indicating no health concern. At this time, Interior Health recommends that fish remain safe to eat and will continue to analyse results and make recommendations as further testing is completed.

A total of 62 fish were collected — 47 lake trout, 12 burbot, 2 whitefish and 1 long nose sucker - from Quesnel Lake. Upon visual inspection, none of the fish showed any signs of distress.

Fish muscle tissue is below the human guideline consumption for selenium. Based on a high fish intake, selenium guidelines for human consumption were exceeded only in the liver and gonads. This means a person would need to consume one cup of lake trout, rainbow trout or whitefish liver and gonads in one day to exceed the high consumption threshold.

While mercury results for most fish tissue are similar to provincial background data, there are ten exceedances of the maximum tissue guideline for lake trout and burbot. In addition, the liver mercury concentrations exceeded the maximum tissue guideline on 19 occasions and one mercury exceedance was noted for the gonads. These mercury exceedances would only apply if the liver/gonads were consumed.

The majority of mercury levels analysed in the fish tissue results from Quesnel Lake are comparable to provincial background data. It should be noted all background data exceeds the wildlife mercury consumption guideline (for Avian or Bird species) which is typical of most lakes across the province due to the amount of mercury deposited from the atmosphere.

Those wishing to reduce exposure to these two metals may choose to remove the liver and gonads of the fish prior to consumption.

Additional small bodied fish (minnows) have been collected from Quesnel Lake and are currently being analysed at the laboratory. Salmon samples have also been collected and are being analysed. These results will be summarized and shared as they become available.

All results and explanations are publically available on the Ministry of Environment’s dedicated Mount Polley site: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/eemp/incidents/2014/mount-polley.htm

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834