Fish Consumption

Is it Safe to Eat Your Fish?

Eating recreationally caught fish from Indiana waters can be healthy and tasty when you have the proper information.

Anyone can eat fish. Fish is a lean protein that is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, and other vitamins and minerals. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and are important for brain and eye development. Fish is a part of a healthy diet but should be consumed in moderation. To ensure safe eating, consult the full Indiana fish consumption guidelines for wild-caught and commercial fish found at IN.gov/isdh/FCA.

It’s all about a person’s exposure to contaminants over time. The two contaminants that primarily drive the fish consumption guidelines are mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Some guidelines are driven by perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which is a chemical in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family. These contaminants are generally persistent in the environment at low enough levels that they do not pose a health risk from direct contact with the water; however, these contaminants accumulate in fish tissue. The contaminants accumulate in human tissue like they do in fish and can build to levels that could pose a health risk.

These risks are based on the consumption of fish over a lifetime of exposure. A determination can then be made from concentrations of contaminants in fish tested as to how frequently they can be safely eaten (see the Wild Fish Consumption Guidelines table). The consumption recommendation groups range from 1 to 5 with 1 being unrestricted consumption and 5 being do not eat.

When it comes to fish consumption, the primary concern is for the sensitive population. This population comprises women of childbearing years, nursing and pregnant mothers, and children age 15 and younger. There is evidence of developmental problems in infants and young children from consuming contaminants at levels lower than what can safely be eaten by the general population.

Combining consumption of wild-caught fish with frequently eaten commercial sources of fish containing contaminants could pose a health risk. Making the best choices in both sources of fish can help women and children obtain the benefits from fish while avoiding the health risks. Remember to follow the guidelines for all the fish you eat.

Eating fish from lakes and reservoirs is generally less of a concern. Contaminant levels are generally very low in lakes and reservoirs.

Eating fish from rivers and streams is generally a much higher concern. Most bodies of water that have do-not-eat consumption guidelines for all species are streams. The Fish Consumption Guidelines has an extensive list of rivers and streams that have species with group 4 and 5 consumption guidelines; however, many streams contain species with low levels of contaminants. Several of the major fished rivers that have some group 4 and 5 species are listed. Many of these rivers and streams contain catch-and-release fishing.

Information on the Commercial Fish Consumption Guidelines and the full Indiana Fish Consumption Guidelines can be found at IN.gov/isdh/FCA. There, users can search by address, name of the body of water, or county to find guidelines. If a body of water is not listed in the guidelines or if a fish species is not listed for a body of water that was sampled, consult with the Statewide Safe Eating Guidelines.

Guidelines to reduce risks of eating fish include consuming smaller, less fatty fish like panfish and removing fat near the skin of the fish before cooking. Baking, broiling, or grilling fish also allows fat from the fish to drip away. To view some healthy recipes, visit chooseyourfish.org/fish/recipe.

For more information on the Fish Consumption Guidelines or for answers to questions concerning the advisory, call the Indiana State Department of Health at 317-233-9264.