The board is now urging the reservoirs' owners to post voluntary warnings about eating the fish that are at the top of the food chain, such as bass. These fish tend to accumulate the most mercury, posing a particular risk to children and pregnant women. Even though the warnings are intended to help protect human life, those who depend on the income brought by tourists and sportsmen to the bodies of water in question are reluctant to post voluntary warnings and draw attention to the matter.

Big Bear Lake, which is nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains, welcomes millions of visitors each year for recreational activities that include not only fishing but also sailing and jet skiing. Some anglers believe that the bass are being unfairly singled out in an effort to protect the endangered and native species they consume. On the other hand, one real estate agent in Big Bear points out that mercury advisories could adversely affect property values, saying that he would not be opposed to getting rid of the bass altogether to skirt the problem.