Arizona State University faculty and student researchers and citizen scientists took part in a study investigating the health implications of eating fish from stock ponds around the Phoenix metropolitan area. According to the research, fish from these sources contained contaminants such as pesticides, arsenic, aluminum, mercury and other chemicals exceeding levels recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Many residents around Phoenix fish in the twenty eight community ponds and lakes that are stocked by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Sixty percent of the people who fish in these ponds eat the fish they catch. For this percentage of the population, local fishing represents an economical source of protein. Prior to this study, there was no official monitoring of contaminants in the surface waters in Phoenix or the fish.

Partners

• ASU Salt Water Assessment Team Lab
• ASU School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Girl Scouts Troops
• Phoenix ZooTeens Conservation Team