State Warns of Tainted Fish; O.C. Off Hook

In their broadest warning to date of tainted fish, state health officials on Monday urged individuals to limit their consumption of eight varieties caught along the Southern California coast because of high levels of toxic chemicals.

Levels of the banned pesticide DDT and the industrial chemical polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some fish tissues are so high, the state said, that one variety--white croaker--should not be eaten at all when caught in some locations off Los Angeles County. Others should be eaten no more than once or twice a month; they are corvina, surfperch, queenfish, sculpin, rockfish, kelp bass and black croaker.

How much of these fish can be safely consumed depends on where along the coast they are caught, the state said. Fish were generally uncontaminated off Orange County, but the contamination was serious in some species caught in waters between San Pedro and Long Beach, according to the study.

State officials issued only one health warning for waters off Orange County. Consumption of corvina caught near Newport Pier should be limited to no more than six ounces every two weeks. Other species caught off Newport Pier, and all fish sampled at other Orange County locations, were deemed safe.

“We were somewhat spared in Orange County,” said Dr. George Gellert, the county’s deputy health officer.

The fish involved are all bottom-dwellers, caught mainly by sport fishermen and pier anglers. They are not popular commercial fish, and generally not found in restaurants.

The recommendations for limiting consumption were made whenever researchers found that concentrations of either DDT or PCBs exceeded 100 parts per billion. For the past six years, state health warnings have been limited to one species--the white croaker, also known as tom cod or kingfish.

But after a four-year study of 15 species and 24 sites, including piers and fishing spots used by private and party boat anglers, the state broadened its warning for the first time to include consumption limits for seven additional species.

No health restrictions were placed on other fish studied, including bonito, California halibut, Pacific mackerel, California barracuda, Pacific sand dab, opaleye perch and Catalina blue perch.

State officials appeared anxious to avoid the appearance of being alarmist.

“We want to assure the public that most fish are still safe for consumption,” said Cal/EPA Secretary James M. Strock. “But this study underscores the continuing consequences of heedless environmental practices in the past.”

During the 1960s and 1970s, several million pounds of DDT were dumped into the ocean off Los Angeles County by a now defunct Torrance pesticide manufacturer. In addition, PCBs from various sources also pollute the ocean.

Several fishermen at Newport Pier said Monday that corvina, found primarily in surf zones, used to be abundant there, but they haven’t caught any in recent years. The foot-long, bottom-feeding fish are fairly difficult to hook.

Commercial anglers worry, however, that the state’s confusing warnings could make consumers wary of buying all their fish.

“I’m just a small-time fisherman trying to make a living. This could shut me down,” said Dan McCafferty, 29, of Riverside, a dory fisherman in waters off Orange County.

Gellert said the varieties of fish involved are not a major component of most people’s diet. He added, however, that many members of the Asian community eat local fish more frequently, so they need to heed the warnings.

He warned consumers not to overreact, since the cancer risk is very small compared to other health dangers and the vast majority of fish studied were deemed safe.

“We have to be careful not to scare people off of fish and onto red meat,” he said, adding that such a change in diet would increase heart disease. “People should not change their good dietary habits of eating fish.”

Steven Book, acting director of Cal/EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, urged anglers not to put all their fish in one basket.

“Eating a variety of different fish species from a variety of different locations is a healthful rule of thumb,” Book said in an interview.

Times staff writer Marla Cone in Orange County contributed to this story.