Big Sky Times

BILLINGS – The Fish Consumption Advisory Board, which includes representatives from the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), has updated its consumption advisory for fish on the Yellowstone River.

Women of reproductive age and young children (ages 0 to 6) are advised not to consume any species of sucker caught in the Yellowstone River from the Highway 212 bridge in Laurel to the confluence with the Bighorn River due to elevated levels of petroleum hydrocarbons. The sucker species common in this area include shorthead redhorse, longnose sucker, and white sucker. There are no advisories against using sucker meat from this section as bait while angling for other fish species.

The previous consumption advisory for all species of fish on the Yellowstone River from Indian Fort Fishing Access Site (FAS) to the Highway 212 bridge in Laurel has been lifted.

Sampling results from September indicate that various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in fish tissue. FWP crews collected different fish species at three sites on the Yellowstone River between September 27-29 to assess human consumption restrictions. Longnose suckers, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout, and brown trout were collected from Otter Creek FAS and Holmgren Ranch FAS. Goldeye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and shorthead redhorse were collected at Voyager’s Rest FAS near Worden. Shorthead redhorse collected at Voyager’s Rest FAS showed levels of petroleum hydrocarbons high enough to warrant an advisory for women of reproductive age and young children.

Previous sampling conducted in July and August followed a June 24 train derailment. Fish collected during this period included mountain whitefish, longnose suckers, shorthead redhorse, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Multiple fish species exhibited elevated PAH levels sufficient to warrant consumption advisories issued on August 11 and September 19.

Additional sampling is scheduled for late June at Otter Creek, Holmgren Ranch, and Voyager’s Rest FASes on the Yellowstone River to monitor human consumption concerns.

Due to their frequent movement throughout river systems, fish cannot be used to determine a specific contaminant source. The Advisory Board is currently focusing on monitoring human health concerns rather than identifying contaminant sources. Other methods will be required for source identification since hydrocarbons detected are widespread environmental compounds found naturally or produced through combustion processes.

Petroleum hydrocarbons contain complex chemical mixtures that can affect blood, immune system functions, lungs, skin, eyes, liver, and kidneys; however, these effects have not been recorded in humans consuming affected fish. Carcinogenic chemicals identified by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and International Agency for Research on Cancer were not detected in September's samples.

For more information on petroleum hydrocarbons:

- CDC site on Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)

- DEQ: Rebecca Harbage - 406-444-2813 / rharbage@mt.gov

- DPHHS: Jon Ebelt - 406-444-0936 / jebelt@mt.gov

- FWP: Chrissy Webb - 406-594-1186 / chrislin.webb@mt.gov