CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN DIEGO : Warning Issued on Fish From Bay

Pregnant women should not eat fish caught in San Diego Bay, while other adults should eat what they catch only in moderation, according to a two-year, $309,000 study funded by the San Diego Unified Port District and conducted by the county Department of Health Services. The study found potentially harmful levels of the suspected carcinogenic chemicals mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the muscle and liver tissues of 340 fish collected in the bay. Researchers concluded that a person would have to eat six ounces of contaminated fish daily for 70 years before an adverse health effect could occur. But they still recommended precautions. “Don’t eat the fish every day that you catch, no matter who you are,” said Dr. J. William Cox, county health services director.