The new list constitutes a more than threefold increase over last year's advisory, which contained 55 fresh water bodies.
The newest advisory also lists 59 saltwater fish species that carry mercury warnings no matter where they are caught in Florida coastal waters. They include such popular fish as pompano, snook, Spanish mackerel and red snapper.
Although most species are safe even for sensitive populations if eaten just once a week, several are classified as ``do not eat.'' These include cobia (for sensitive populations), king mackerel and shark. Sensitive populations are defined as women of childbearing age and young children.
Last year, the department listed only eight species with warnings for all coastal waters.
Mercury is a toxic substance that in high amounts can damage the brain and nervous system. The amount of mercury in fish usually doesn't pose a health threat for most adults. Developing fetuses and young children, however, are more sensitive to mercury's harmful effects.
State scientists say the large increase in the number of water bodies and fish species that carry mercury warnings is due to increased monitoring. In a state with 7,800 named lakes, scientists have had to prioritize water bodies.
``We're not attempting to sample every lake in the state,'' said Thomas D. Atkeson, mercury coordinator for Florida's Department of Environmental Protection. ``We are prioritizing by testing the most productive fishing places and the species that people would eat.''
Joe Sekerke, a toxicologist with the Health Department, said mercury levels in fish haven't increased. The new expanded advisory, in addition to listing more fish, also uses more exact parameters so that consumers know exactly how much they can eat safely.
``What we tried to give people this year is more information about where people can go to fish,'' Sekerke said, ``so they can eat the fish they need to eat but also know where there is a problem with contamination so they can avoid it.''
Environmental groups cited the advisory as fresh evidence that President Bush's administration needs to crack down on coal-fired power plants, the leading industrial source of mercury.
Mercury is a natural element, but burning coal releases it into the atmosphere. It settles on the ground and in waterways, where it undergoes a chemical change to methyl mercury. This form doesn't break down like other chemicals and remains bound to fish muscle.
``The Department of Health is saying that fish are not more contaminated; it's that they're doing more improved testing,'' said George Cavros with the National Environmental Trust. ``What they're really saying is that mercury contamination has been a lot worse than we thought, and we're just now finding out about it.''
Environmentalists say the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Clinton planned to enforce reductions in national mercury emissions by 2008 from 48 tons a year to 5 tons, or a 90 percent reduction.
That ambitious goal was scrapped under President Bush, the groups charge. Now the EPA wants to reduce emissions to 15 tons by 2018.
EPA officials say they are now attempting the first-ever controls
on mercury emissions from power plants. The agency wants to use a ``cap and trade'' approach to achieve the reductions: The federal government would set a national target, or cap, for emissions for all power plants. Utilities that reduce their emission levels below the target would be able to sell pollution credits (trade) to power plants that haven't achieved the required reductions.
``We've said we like the cap and trade approach because some power plants can control for mercury better and it gives them an incentive to do more,'' said EPA spokeswoman Cynthia Bergman.
Many environmentalists favor an approach called Maximum Achievable Control Technology. This would require power plants to adopt the most effective technology in reducing mercury emissions.
EPA officials and the power industry say the approach would mean agreeing on one technology that could bring all coal-fired plants within pollution limits. Environmentalists say such technology is now available. EPA and the power industry say it's not.
``There's no technology that will guarantee a 90 percent reduction of mercury because there's been no technology proven that can work across different types of coals and work under adverse conditions of 24/7 electricity productions'' said Scott Segal, spokesman for the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, an industry lobbying group.