Fish consumption warning issued for all of Lake Norman

Hybrid striped bass are a popular fish on Lake Norman, but anglers should limit their consumption due to PCBs found in the species.

Anglers should limit hybrid striped bass consumption

Hybrid striped bass are a popular gamefish in a number of lakes in the Carolinas. They are fun to catch, and they’re also tasty, but anglers shouldn’t be too eager to eat them out of at least one North Carolina lake.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in fish tissue samples from hybrid striped bass caught in Lake Norman has state authorities concerned. The North Carolina Dept. of Health and Human Services has placed all of Lake Norman under a fish consumption advisory.

The entire lake, as well as Lake Norman’s surrounding counties of Mecklenburg, Catawba, Iredell, and Lincoln are under the advisory.

The advisory calls for people to eat no more than two meals per week of hybrid striped bass caught from Lake Norman. PCBs are known to cause negative impacts on liver and immune systems of humans, so an increased risk exists for anyone eating hybrid striped bass that come from the lake.

The agency said it’s still safe to swim, wade, boat, and handle fish in Lake Norman.

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