2 weeks ago, we told you about the preliminary results which the Ministry of Health gathered on the mercury levels in fish from the Macal River. Today, the Ministry released those official results.
They say that they collaborated with the Department of Environment and the Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL) to test the mercury levels in fishes from the Macal, Mopan, Belize, Rio Grande, and New Rivers. They're now making recommendations on the safe amount of fish that the general public should consume so they can avoid the ill effects of potential mercury exposure.
Only 3 out of the 18 fish species tested had mercury levels above the recommended dose of 0.5 milligrams per kilograms. These species are the Botasi and the Cichlid from upstream Vaca Dam, and the Bay Snook from the Cristo Rey Village area, along the Macal River. The Botasi contained almost twice the amount of recommended mercury levels of 0.95 milligrams per kilogram. The Bay Snook had 0.83 milligrams per kilogram, and the Chiclid had 0.71 milligrams per kilogram. They are all from the Macal River.
As a result, the Ministry wants residents in this part of the country to find replacement food sources for these 3 species of fish. But, if residents absolutely must eat these fishes, they are recommending that for the Bay Snook from Cristo Rey Village, you should only consume 1.7 ounces. For the Botasi from Upstream Vaca Dam, you should only eat 4.7 ounces. For the Chichlid, also from Upstream Vaca Dam, you should only eat 2.8 ounces.
They're recommending that the general public eat fish from other locations in the country. Additionally, you should eat replacement foods such as local chicken, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, avocados, and spinach. Additionally, you should use oils from flaxseed, canola, corn, olive or soybean.
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