Aquatic scientists monitor for environmental contaminants in aquatic life

Photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) monitors fish and shellfish for the presence of environmental contaminants and alerts the public through bans (closures) and advisories when a threat to human health may occur from eating contaminated fish or shellfish. In waters with consumption bans, possession and consumption of fish and/or shellfish is prohibited. A consumption advisory is a recommendation to limit consumption to specified quantities, species, and sizes of fish. For more information, visit the TDSHS website:  http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/seafood/

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Texas Aquatic Science is a cooperative education project sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Additional project support came from the Ewing Halsell Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sport Fish Restoration Program. The Texas Aquatic Science textbook was written and edited by Rudolph Rosen, Ph.D., Sandra Johnson, Ph.D. served as educational consultant and authored the accompanying Teacher’s Guide. Videos were produced by Randall Maxwell.