Are fish caught in areas outside of Los Angeles and Orange Counties safer to eat?
It is likely that fish caught further from the Palos Verdes Shelf will have lower levels of PCBs and DDTs. To be sure, federal governmental agencies periodically analyze fish caught along the coast from Ventura to Dana Point for PCBs, DDTs, dieldrin, chlordane and mercury. The most recent study was published in 2007 and is being used by the State of California to update current advisories. You should check for fish consumption advisories in other areas at OEHHA. Also follow the general advice to eat different types of fish from a variety of places, eat smaller legal-size fish, trim away fat, eat only the fillet (not the guts), and cook fish so that the fat drips away. Also see Question 22 for more information on cleaning and cooking fish safely. The purpose of fish consumption advisories, also called health advisories, is to recommend that people limit or avoid eating certain types of fish caught from specific coastal waters, lakes, or rivers in order to reduce their exposure to harmfu
