Four Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

West Virginia announced changes to it fish consumption advisories today. Four advisories were reduced in strength:

1. For Summersville Lake for all sizes of walleye to increase to one meal per month from six meals per year due to decreased mercury,
2. On the South Fork of the Potomac River's South Branch a restriction of one meal per month of any size of smallmouth bass was dropped due to decreased mercury,
3. On the Shenandoah River, an advisory for the consumption of channel catfish greater than 17 inches has changed from "do not eat" to one meal per month due to lower PCB levels,
4. Advisories for all non-game fish have been removed from the Potomac River and its North Branch due to lower dioxin levels.

On the negative side, two advisories were strengthened:

1. On the Shenandoah River  an advisory for one meal per month of any size of smallmouth bass has been put in place due to increased mercury levels.
2. On Marshall County's Fish Creek, an advisory previously limiting consumption of smallmouth bass under 12 inches to one meal per month has been extended to all sizes due to higher mercury levels.

Good news, but it would be better without the backsliding.