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MARCH 19, 2001

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Reservation and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks will be warning the public this summer about the dangers of consuming fish from Flathead Lake.

The tribes and the state want consumers to know that trout in the lake have relatively high levels of a mercury compound called methylmercury. Even low levels can cause severe birth defects in unborn children so women are being targeted in the public information campaign.

Large, older trout in the lake also contain low levels of PCBs, a banned man-made substance which causes cancer. The origin of the PCBs is unknown.

Get the Story:
Eating Flathead Lakefish is bad for your health (The Missoulian 3/19)

Relevant Links:
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council - http://tlc.wtp.net/salish.htm