Alabama public health officials are warning people to avoid eating any fish from some state waterways because of contamination.

The state Department of Public Health issued its latest fish consumption advisories this month.

They are based on nearly 500 samples of specific fish species taken during the fall of 2020 from 41 bodies of water, health officials say.

Restrictions on consumption are broken down by waterbody and presented as the safe number of meals of a species that can be eaten in a given period of time. In some locations, people are advised to avoid all fish.

Mercury is often cited as the fish contaminant of concern.