Revised health advice for fishing around Brisbane Airport

Published Friday, 02 June, 2017 at 05:19 PM

Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef
The Honourable Steven Miles

Commercial and recreational fishers can return to fishing grounds near Brisbane Airport based on results from seafood caught in the area following the spill of firefighting foam in April.

Results from seafood caught in waterways show that most of the sampled prawns, crab, mullet, flathead and whiting were below investigation trigger levels.

Seafood sampling undertaken from 22 April to 12 May showed only eight samples were at, or above investigation trigger levels, out of some 82 results from samples taken over that period.

Results are available at www.ehp.qld.gov.au.

Environment Minister Steven Miles said the latest results also indicated water quality remained within recreational water use guidelines, and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries advise that commercial and recreational fishers could return to fishing in the area.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said as a result of the monitoring, the health advice is now that consumers should limit their consumption of seafood from the investigation area to two or three serves per week.

This advice is in line with the total dietary intake recommended by Food Standards Australia New Zealand for seafood generally.

“This means the recommended weekly intake is two to three serves of 75 grams for children up to six years and two to three serves of 150 grams for the rest of the population,” Dr Young said.

“In general, consumers should source seafood from multiple locations.

“Consumers concerned about the source of their seafood should ask their supplier for more information.

“Monitoring will continue and consumption advice will be amended if needed.”

Minister Miles said that a comprehensive month long sampling program for seafood, water and sediment had been carried out by Queensland Government.

“Lab results have not been received for all samples yet, and these will continue to be published online as they become available.

“Following the government’s extensive monitoring program over the last month, Qantas is also being required to conduct its own sampling program.

“Qantas will continue to carry out testing for as long as is necessary, as a safeguard against any future bioaccumulation in the food chain over time.

“Perfluorinated chemicals are commonly found in the environment at low levels due to widespread use in consumer products over many decades.

“The public is exposed to small amounts of PFAS in everyday life and they are found at very low levels in the blood of the general population around the world,” Mr Miles said.

ENDS

Media contact: Katharine Wright - 0422 580 342