[Arthalion]

No, it just wouldn't have been released in such high concentrations over such a short period of time. Mercury in the environment is perfectly natural. The mercury heavy runoff from the ruins of thousands of old mines isn't.

Personally, here's how I deal with it: 1) Eat nothing from the S.F. Bay. Even if I weren't concerned about mercury, the rest of the crap (literally) that the surrounding cities dump into that water makes anything living in it unsuitable for eating. 2) In the valley and gold country, don't eat fish that hang out on the bottom. ANYBODY who eats a California catfish is insane, stupid, or suicidal. 3) The best fishing in California is in the high Sierra. Not only are there a lot more of them, but they're well above the old mines and the water is almost completely unpolluted.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Bottom feeding fish, catfish, Carp etc., have always been a threat to the health of those eating them. I do love Channel Cats though.

I would imagine that high enough in the Sierra, you can not only still eat the fish without fear of contamination, but probably drink the water they swim in, right out of the stream.