State Agencies Issue Advisory for Bayou D’Inde, Portions of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, and the Upper Calcasieu Estuary

The Louisiana Department of Health, Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have issued a new advisory concerning fish and shellfish for Bayou D’Inde, the Calcasieu Estuary and the Calcasieu Ship Channel.

For Bayou D’Inde and the Calcasieu Ship Channel between channel markers #31 and #33, state agencies advise the following:

·      Do not eat catfish

·      Do not eat crab fat

·      Limit consumption of other fish and shellfish to two meals per month

For the portion of the Calcasieu Estuary that lies north of channel marker #11 and is not already covered by the Bayou D’Inde/Calcasieu Ship Channel Advisory, state agencies advise the following:

·      Do not eat crab fat

This advisory is in response to recent sampling and analysis of finfish and shellfish and is based on sampling data from 2011-2015. Shrimp, blue crab, oysters and finfish were tested for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans. Elevated levels of PCBs, dioxins and furans were found in the tissue (meat/fillet) of some species. Unacceptable levels of PCBs, dioxins and furans were also found in crab hepatopancreas (fat).

This advisory is issued as a precaution. For more information regarding this advisory, contact the Department of Health at 1-888-293-7020 or visit www.ldh.la.gov/EatSafeFish.