A couple of hours ago, the Environmental Protection Agency published something called the National Lake Fish TissueStudy, a “national screening-level survey of chemical residues in fish tissue from lakes and reservoirs,” in the lower 48 states. Here’s how the AP is reporting its findings.

“Nearly half of lakes and reservoirs nationwide contain fish with potentially harmful levels of the toxic metal mercury, according to a federal study released Tuesday.

“The Environmental Protection Agency found mercury – a pollutant primarily released from coal-fired power plants – and polychlorinated biphenyls in all fish samples it collected from 500 lakes and reservoirs from 2000-2003.

“At 49 percent of those lakes and reservoirs, mercury concentrations exceeded levels that the EPA says are safe for people eating average amounts of fish.

On one level, I’m actually relieved, as the AP has gotten it right on the substance. We know from experience that every time a study about mercury in freshwater fish runs on the national wires, reporters and editors from around the country, in many cases goaded on by environmental activists, will either deliberately or accidentally conflate freshwater fish with seafood.

That’s clearly not the case here. So bravo to the AP for getting it right.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that reporters elsewhere won’t be making the same mistake overnight. In fact, I think we can probably count on that. In any case, we’ll be doing what we always do: watch and wait and comment when we feel the need.

Sure, we might sound like a broken record with the following science-based points:

• By and large the fish EPA tested from lakes and reservoirs are not the commercial fish we enjoy in restaurants or buy in the grocery store. This is not a study that should have consumers in any way concerned about the commercial fish they regularly enjoy.
• For those who rely on subsistence fishing or those who enjoy recreational fishing, EPA’s report appears to highlight the need to check with local and regional fish advisories.

But better that than letting the record go uncorrected.