Fish story
Fishing is a great pastime and free source of food, but the health risks from mercury, PCBs and other toxins in the fish should not be downplayed ("They're Biting," 6/7/2013). Contrary to Kurt Welke's rhetoric ("if you are so god-awful worried about contaminants, then you would never set foot in a grocery store"), the reality is that fish consumption advisories from his own agency make it clear that anglers should be careful how much and what they eat. Our 2008 survey revealed that many shoreline anglers ate large numbers of pan fish and game fish, some every day. By any measure, they are eating dangerous amounts of mercury and PCBs. This is why we worked with the city and county to place advisory signs in three languages along urban shorelines to help anglers make better choices.
Welke's good ol' boy beliefs run counter to the science that his own agency promotes. While he may be an excellent booster for local fishing holes, he has no business offering health advice.
Jim Powell, Midwest Environmental Justice Organization
The buzz about bees
The article by Molly Stentz was fascinating ("The Mystery of Dying Bees," 6/14/2013)! She covered all of the elements of the story in a cogent, thorough manner. I was so riveted by this story it was truly a religious experience. I dreamed of bees last night and truly appreciate their work as I do Ms. Stentz's. She is an amazing writer and I look forward to more articles.
Susan Lewis, Middleton
