Fishing advisory in effect after West Haven oil spill
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has issued a safety warning for fish caught in the West River in the area of New Haven and West Haven.
The precautionary advisory comes after a truck carrying oil crashed last week, spilling oil that ended up in the river.
The warning will last two weeks or longer and cover the sections upstream of Derby Avenue and downstream to Kimberly Avenue, officials said.
There is also a statewide advisory in place for all freshwater finfish and shellfish caught in Connecticut due to mercury contamination, according to DPH:
“Sensitive groups should limit their consumption to no more than one meal per month. For all other groups, the advice is to limit consumption to no more than one meal per week of freshwater finfish and shellfish. This statewide advisory does not apply to sunfish or trout as there are no consumption limits for these fish species, unless otherwise noted.”
DPH said they continue to work closely with local officials and environmental partners to monitor the river and will provide updates as necessary.
Additional information on DPH fish consumption advisories can be found here or by calling a DPH staff person.
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