Scientists probe mercury in fish species

DENVER, April 5 (UPI) -- About one-fifth of Colorado's lakes and reservoirs that have been tested by the state contain various species of mercury-tainted fish, officials said.

The Denver Post reported Sunday that the heavy metal is not found in all species, even in tainted lakes.

"It scares some people, and some say they eat the fish anyway. Me, I catch and release. I'm not eating those fish," fisherman Robert Gong said of the mercury contamination.

Scientists say they are investigating why some waterways are contaminated while others are not.

"We've got some very hot fish in some, but not in all our reservoirs," said Nicole Vieira, a state Division of Wildlife aquatic toxicologist. "If we can figure out what is at work, we might be able to manage the fish stocks to reduce mercury."

To help reduce contamination, the state has required power plants, a major source of mercury pollution, to cut mercury emissions 90 percent by 2018, the newspaper said.