Women, Children Told to Avoid Freshwater Fish Due to High Mercury Levels

State health officials are urging California's women and children to avoid eating bass, carp, brown trout and other kinds of freshwater fish due to high chemical and mercury levels.

This is the first statewide advisory to avoid certain freshwater wish, according to the L.A. Times.

The health advisory for lakes and reservoirs that do not currently have specified fish consumption standards was issued Aug. 1 by the California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

The advisory was issued for women ages 18-45 and children between 0-17.

"Methylmercury can cause harm to the nervous system. Unborn babies and children are particularly susceptible to this effect because their nervous systems are still developing," the advisory stated.