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The largest-ever study of toxins in California sport fish shows concerning levels of PCBs and methylmercury at several spots along the San Diego County coastline and elsewhere, the legacy of industrial activity that continues to haunt state waters.

About three-fourths of the 42 spots sampled in California had what state officials called “moderate” degrees of pollution from the two most problematic contaminants, but concentrations at several sites spiked high enough to trigger “no consumption” warnings if more sampling confirms dangerous amounts of the contaminants.

Moderate-to-high levels of pollutants were found in several local species, including various bass, perch, rockfish and shark. Contaminant loads were heaviest in San Diego Bay, a spot that’s long been known as a toxic hot spot much like other industrial and military hubs across the country.

The data are from a $4.5 million series of studies paid for by the State Water Resources Control Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The six-year effort focuses on sport fish because they provide information about human exposure to chemicals and the condition of the aquatic food web. Results from 27 more coastal spots are scheduled to be released next year.

“Before these surveys, we really had no benchmark — mostly just anecdotal information — for where to focus our efforts,” said Dave Clegern, a spokesman for the state water board. “Now we can look toward seeing what the best way to deal with these chemicals may be. In the case of mercury, it’s so heavy many researchers believe the best solution is to let it be so it is eventually buried. PCBs are often regarded the same way, but that may not be the best course everywhere.”

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