Basic Information

Fish are an important part of a healthy diet. They are a lean, low-calorie source of protein. Some fish people catch in the Nation's lakes, rivers, oceans, and estuaries, however, may contain chemicals that could pose health risks.

What are Fish Advisories?

State, tribal, and local governments protect people from possible risks of eating contaminated fish by monitoring their waters and issuing fish advisories when contaminant levels are unsafe. While most of the Nation's waters contain fish that are safe to eat, a consumption advisory may recommend that people limit or avoid eating certain species of fish caught from certain lakes, rivers or coastal waters. In some cases, advisories apply to specific water types (such as lakes), or they may include recommendations for specific groups (like pregnant women or children). Advisories apply to locally-caught fish or water-dependent wildlife and sometimes apply to fish purchased in stores and restaurants. Government agencies have increased the number of notices of "no restriction" or safe eating guidelines to tell the public that the fish from certain areas have been tested and are safe to eat. Statewide advisories are also issued by many states: they warn the public of possible risks from eating certain species from certain types of waters. Commercial fishing bans are sometimes issued which forbid the harvest and sale of fish, shellfish, and/or wildlife species from a designated waterbody or area.

For what pollutants are the advisories issued?

Most advisories involve five primary contaminants: mercury, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins, and DDT. These chemical contaminants persist for long periods in sediments where bottom-dwelling animals accumulate and pass them up the food chain to fish. Levels of these contaminants may increase as they move up the food chain, so top predators in a food chain (such as largemouth bass or walleye) may have levels a million times higher than that in the water.

What about recent advice from EPA and FDA about mercury in fish?

In 2004, EPA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued advice concerning mercury in fish. The advice targeted women who might become pregnant, women who are pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. Fish is an important part of a healthy diet, and women and young children in particular should include fish and shellfish in their diets. But nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury and, while this is not a health concern for most people, those that contain higher levels of mercury may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks depend on the amount of fish eaten and the amount of mercury in the fish. More Information on the Mercury in Fish Consumption Advisory.

Fish Advisory website highlights

• Local Advisory Programs
• What You Need to Know about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish
• The National Listing of Fish Advisories
  

For more information on EPA's Fish Advisory Program, contact: Jeffrey Bigler at US EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (4305T), Washington, DC 20460; e-mail: bigler.jeff@epa.gov

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