The Alabama Department of Health has issued six fish advisories in Escambia County for 2016.

The advisories are among many issued for the state’s more than 77,000 miles of rivers and streams, 41 public lakes and reservoirs of varied fish habitats.

“Fishing is a popular sport in Alabama and provides many benefits, such as recreation and procurement of healthy food,” state health officials said. “Unfortunately, certain toxic chemicals have been found in some lakes and rivers in Alabama. Some of these chemicals can accumulate in fish.

“With some chemicals, higher levels of contaminants can be found in older and/or larger fish,” officials said. “When chemical concentrations are elevated in fish, they can pose health risks to people who eat them.”

Officials sampled fish throughout the state’s waterways, including those in Escambia County, and issued the following local Mercury advisories for:

• Big Escambia Creek at Louisville and Nashville Railroad, approximately ½ mile upstream of the Alabama/Florida line. Limit channel catfish to one meal per month and do not eat largemouth bass or spotted bass.

• Blackwater River between County Road 4 and the Alabama/Florida state line. Limit largemouth bass and spotted bass to one meal per month.

• Burnt Corn Creek in the vicinity of Hwy. 31. Limit largemouth bass and spotted bass to one meal per month.

• Conecuh River at the state line. Limit largemouth bass to one meal per month.

• Little Escambia Creek at the U.S. Hwy. 31 and 29 bridge. Limit largemouth bass and spotted bass to one meal per month.

• Murder Creek between the confluence with Burnt Corn Creek and Conecuh River. Limit channel catfish to one meal per month and do not consume largemouth bass or spotted bass.

• Sepulga River in the vicinity of Brooklyn. Do not any species of fish caught at this location.