Public meeting on intersex fish

A public meeting to update citizens concerned with the intersex and fish kill situations in the South Branch of the Potomac will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10 at the Moorefield Middle School.

The meeting is sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Enviromental Protection, (DEP) Division of Natural Resources and the Potomac Water Watch.

The meeting will feature presentations by sponsors, as well as the U.S. Geological Survey. Citizens will have the opportunity to talk with agency representatives about the investigation through an open house session.

Research and extensive water quality monitoring began as a result of a number of fish kills in 2002 in the South Branch and Cacapon rivers. Scientists investigating the fish kills found a high number of intersex conditions in fish from those rivers. Intersex is a condition in which a fish may exhibit characteristics of both sexes.

"This meeting provides an excellent opportunity to update citizens on agencies' progress toward a solution before spring fishing and other recreational activities begin in earnest," said Patrick Campbell of DEP's Division of Water and Waste Management.

For more information, contact Steve Young at 304-926-0495.