Mercury Fish Advisory Los Vaqueros Reservoir Contra Costa County
Summary
CA OEHHA issued a mercury fish consumption advisory for Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County, California, recommending serving limits for six fish species based on mercury content. Women ages 18-49 and children ages 1-17 are advised to limit Black Bass consumption to zero servings per week (DO NOT EAT), while Rainbow Trout, Mississippi Silverside, and Sculpin allow up to 7 servings weekly. The advisory includes separate recommendations for women 50+ and men 18+, who may consume Black Bass once per week. Posters, fact sheets, and detailed reports are available for download in English and Spanish.
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GovPing monitors CA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for new environment regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 3 changes logged to date.
What changed
CA OEHHA issued a new mercury-based fish consumption advisory for Los Vaqueros Reservoir effective February 26, 2026. The advisory establishes serving limits for Rainbow Trout, Mississippi Silverside, Sculpin, Threadfin Shad, Sacramento Sucker, and Black Bass Species based on mercury contamination levels. The advisory distinguishes between women of childbearing age (18-49) and children versus older adults, with stricter limits on Black Bass (DO NOT EAT for women 18-49 and children) reflecting higher mercury content in larger predator fish.
Recreational fishers and families consuming fish from Los Vaqueros Reservoir should follow the species-specific serving recommendations to limit mercury exposure. The advisory applies only to the named species and water body; OEHHA recommends following the statewide advisory for other species in California lakes and reservoirs. Posters and fact sheets are available in English and Spanish through the OEHHA website.
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Los Vaqueros Reservoir
February 26, 2026
This advisory is based on mercury. (For information on that may be found in California water bodies, see below.)
For additional fish species found in this water body and not included in the advisory, OEHHA recommends following the statewide advisory for eating fish from California’s lakes and reservoirs without site-specific advice.
Posters should not be modified. Please contact us at fish@oehha.ca.gov regarding alternative poster formats.
Waterbody
Los Vaqueros Reservoir
County Contra Costa Los Vaqueros Reservoir_0.kml
Downloads
February 26, 2026
February 26, 2026
February 26, 2026
February 26, 2026
Women 18-49 Years and Children 1-17 Years
7 servings a week High in Omega 3s Rainbow Trout OR 5 servings a week Mississippi Silverside Sculpin OR 2 servings a week Threadfin Shad OR 1 serving a week Sacramento Sucker DO NOT EAT High in Omega 3s Black Bass Species
Women 50 Years and Older and Men 18 Years and Older
7 servings a week Mississippi Silverside High in Omega 3s Rainbow Trout Sculpin OR 6 servings a week Threadfin Shad OR 3 servings a week Sacramento Sucker OR 1 serving a week High in Omega 3s Black Bass Species
What is a serving?
The recommended serving of fish is about the size and thickness of your hand. Give children smaller servings. For small fish species, several individual fish may make up a single serving.
Preparing and Cooking Fish
- For fish, eat only the skinless fillet.
- For shellfish, eat only the meat.
- Some chemicals are higher in the skin, fat, and guts.
- Remove and throw away the skin before cooking.
- Cook thoroughly and allow the juices to drain away.
= Fish that are high in omega-3s and you can eat them at least once a week.
Eating fish with omega-3s can lower heart disease in adults and help babies’ brains to develop.
Resources related to Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms
Harmful algal blooms are increasing in California and may occur throughout the year in some water bodies. OEHHA recommends that you check the California harmful algal bloom (HAB) portal to see if a bloom has been reported at this water body and learn healthy water habits to protect yourself, your family, and your pets during your visit.
Fish Advisory Map
View maps of current statewide and site-specific advisories
Fish, Incident Response, Seafood Safety, and Harmful Algal Bloom Section
Sacramento Office
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 324-7572
Fish@oehha.ca.gov
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Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from CA OEHHA.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
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