What isn't clear is how serious a threat the contamination is for people catching and eating cutthroat trout and other freshwater fish. That's because there isn't yet an official limit set for exposure. However, local fish are contaminated at levels significantly below what limited guidelines are available.

State officials urge people to continue eating fish but recommend removing the fat when cooking it because that's where certain toxic chemicals tend to concentrate. They also suggest avoiding long-lived creatures that are likely to have built up higher levels of pollutants.