The Louisiana Departments of Health, Environmental Quality and Wildlife and Fisheries have issued a fish consumption advisory for Vernon Lake.

The state issues precautionary advisories when unacceptable levels of mercury are detected in fish or shellfish.

The Department of Environmental Quality conducts fish sampling. LDH then uses this data to determine the need for additional advisories or to modify existing advisories. Each advisory lists the specific fish, makes consumption recommendations and outlines the geographic boundaries of the affected waterways.

The state said unacceptable levels of mercy have been detected in black crappie (Sac-a-lait), bluegill/redear sunfish, bowfin (Choupique, Grinnel), flathead catfish and largemouth-spotted bass.

This is the third time an advisory has been issued for Vernon Lake. The advisory supersedes a previous advisory issued on May 29, 2023, which superseded an earlier advisory from August 1997.

It is recommended that women of childbearing age and children younger than 7 not consume more than one meal per month of bowfin, flathead catfish and large mouth/spotted bass from this lake or not consume more than two meals a month of black crappie and bluegill/redear sunfish.

Further sampling will be carried out by DEQ to determine the need for modifications to the advisory, including an adjustment of the boundaries if necessary.