How do chemicals in the San Francisco Bay fish compare with other locations?
Two similar studies on chemicals in fish have been conducted by OEHHA in the Santa Monica and Monterey bays. In general, the level of PCBs and DDT in sportfish from San Francisco Bay were similar to or lower than the levels in Santa Monica Bay for the same fish species, but higher than those in Monterey Bay. The highest levels of PCBs in sportfish from the San Francisco Bay are about five to ten times lower than found in the Great Lakes area, where they occur extensively. Chlordane levels in fish from San Francisco Bay were similar to levels found in other areas of the state. Dioxins were not measured in many of the samples from the Santa Monica or Monterey Bay studies. Dioxin levels in San Francisco Bay were not higher than the average background levels found in other areas of the country, but are still of concern because of the extreme toxicity of this contaminant. Mercury has been found at higher levels in several inland lakes in California, and is the most common contaminant of con
