vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4305
EPA-823-F-07-003
July 2007
Fact Sheet
2005/2006 National Listing of Fish Advisories
Summary
Since 1993, EPA has made available to the public online an annual compendium of information on locally issued fish advisories
and safe eating guidelines (http://www.epa.gov/fishadvisories). This information is provided to EPA by states, U.S. territories,
Indian tribes, and local governments who issue fish consumption advisories and safe eating guidelines to inform people about
the recommended level of consumption for fish caught in local waters. Fish advisories are advice to limit or avoid eating certain
fish. Safe eating guidelines are designations of monitored waters where there is no restriction on eating specified species of
fish. The 2005/2006 National Listing of Fish Advisories1 database shows that the number offish advisories and the number
of safe eating guidelines issued continues to rise. The increased number of new fish advisories issued is directly related to
enhanced monitoring and assessment efforts by States, U. S. territories, tribes, and local governments. Most new fish advisories
involve mercury and are believed to be the result of increased monitoring and assessment rather than increased U.S. releases
of mercury, as U.S. mercury emissions have declined by almost 50% since 1990.
The national listing is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/fishadvisories
Background
The states, District of Columbia, U.S. territories, tribes, and local
governments (for simplicity, hereafter referred to as states)
have primary responsibility for protecting their residents from
potential health risks from eating contaminated fish caught in
local waters. Forty-eight states, the District of Columbia, the
U.S. territories of American Samoa and Guam, and five Indian
tribes have fish consumption advisories in place. The states
have developed their own fish advisory programs over the
years, and there is variability among states in the scope and
extent of monitoring, in how frequently previously tested waters
are sampled again, in how decisions are made to place waters
under advisory, and in the specific advice that is provided when
contaminated fish are found. Because of this variability, it is
difficult to draw national conclusions or to establish national
trends in fish advisories; however, through this Technical Fact
Sheet, EPA provides a summary of fish advisory information
submitted by states.
Consumption advisories may include recommendations to limit
or avoid eating certain fish and water-dependent wildlife species
caught from specific waterbodies or, in some cases, from
specific waterbody types (e.g., all lakes) due to contamination
by one or more chemical contaminants. An advisory may be
issued for the general population (i.e., general public), including
recreational and subsistence fishers, or it may be issued
specifically for sensitive subpopulations, such as pregnant
women, nursing mothers, and children. A consumption
advisory is not a regulation, but rather a voluntary
recommendation issued to help protect public health.
States typically issue five types of advisories and bans to
protect both the general population and specific subpopulations.
• No-consumption advisory for the general population -
Issued when levels of chemical contamination in fish or
wildlife pose a health risk to the general public. The general
population is advised to avoid eating certain types of locally
caught fish or wildlife.
• No-consumption advisory for sensitive subpopulations
- Issued when contaminant levels in fish or wildlife pose a
health risk to sensitive subpopulations (such as children
and pregnant women). Sensitive subpopulations are
advised to avoid eating certain types of locally caught fish
or wildlife.
• Restricted-consumption advisory for the general
population - Issued when contaminant levels in fish or
wildlife may pose a health risk if too much fish or wildlife is
consumed. The general population is advised to limit eating
certain types of locally caught fish or wildlife.
• Restricted-consumption advisory for sensitive sub-
populations - Issued when contaminant levels in fish or
wildlife may pose a health risk if too much fish or wildlife is
consumed. Sensitive subpopulations are advised to limit
eating certain types of locally caught fish or wildlife.
• Commercial fishing ban - Issued when high levels of
contamination are found in fish caught for commercial
purposes. These bans prohibit the commercial harvest and
sale offish and shellfish from a designated waterbody.
In addition to the five types of advisories, states are also
increasingly issuing notices of statewide advisories and safe
eating guidelines. A statewide advisory is issued to warn the
public of the potential human health risks from widespread
chemical contamination of certain species offish from particular
types of waterbodies (e.g., lakes, rivers, and/or coastal waters)
within the state. An advisory for each waterbody name or type
of waterbody may be listed as one advisory, regardless of the
number of fish affected or the number of chemical contaminants
detected. In contrast, a safe eating guideline is issued to inform
the public that fish from specific waterbodies have been tested
1 The National Listing of Fish Advisories Fact Sheet was produced annually through the 2004 report. In 2005, USEPA decided to release subsequent
fact sheets on a bi-annual basis due to nominal changes in data from year to year. This fact sheet discusses changes in data for both the 2005 and
2006 data reporting cycles.
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for chemical contaminants, and the results have shown that
specific species of fish from these waters are safe to eat without
consumption restrictions. As states increase their monitoring
activities, so does the quantity of information available to better
protect the public health.
National Listing of Fish Advisories Web Site
As of the end of 2006, the National Listing of Fish Advisories
Web site lists 3,852 advisories in 48 of the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, 2 of the 4 territories, and five Indian tribes. The
Web site (http://www.epa.qov/fishadvisories) includes:
Information on species and size of fish or water-dependent
wildlife under advisory
Chemical contaminants identified in the advisory
Geographic location of the waterbody
Lake acreage or river miles under advisory
Population for whom the advisory was issued
Meal size and meal frequency (number of meals per week or
month) by advisory
Data on the concentrations of contaminants in fish tissue for 46
states and the District of Columbia
State and tribal contact information.
The user can generate national, regional, and state maps that
summarize advisory information on the Web site. The site also
includes the names of each state contact, a phone number, a
fax number, and an e-mail address.
Synopsis of 2005 and 2006 National Listing of
Fish Advisories
This fact sheet provides a summary of data included in the 2005
and 2006 updates to the National Listing of Fish Advisories. In
past years, EPA reported fish advisories based on the number
of advisories in effect at the end of that year, but this does not
provide an indication of the geographic extent of the advisory.
For example, a waterbody-specific advisory may be issued to
cover a single waterbody (e.g., a 20-acre lake), whereas a
single statewide lake advisory can cover all lake acres within
the state's jurisdiction (up to 12,787,200 acres in one state).
Because of the dramatic range in the geographic size of lake
acres and river miles affected by a single advisory, the number
of advisories does not tell the full story of the geographic extent
of waters subject to state advice to limit fish consumption.
Therefore, EPA now provides information on the total lake acres
and total river miles where advisories are currently in effect.
This fact sheet presents and discusses data for both 2005 and
2006, but the 2006 data summary reflects the most recent
updates to the online database.
The EPA 2005 National Listing of Fish Advisories indicates that
states reported issuing 158 new fish advisories in 2005 and that
162 previous advisories were reactivated, bringing the total
number of active advisories in effect to 3,373 in 2005 (Figure 1).
The 3,373 advisories in the national listing at the end of 2005
represented 38% of the nation's total lake acreage and 26% of
the nation's total river miles. Approximately 15,202,580 lake
acres and 930,097 river miles were under advisory in 2005.
This represented a 3% increase in the number of lake acres
and a 2% increase in river miles under advisory from 2004 to
2005.
The EPA 2006 National Listing of Fish Advisories indicates that
states reported issuing 534 new fish advisories in 2006 and that
122 previous advisories were reactivated, bringing the total
number of advisories in effect to 3,852 in 2006 (Figure 2). The
3,852 advisories in the national listing at the end of 2006 still
represent 38% of the nation's total lake acreage and 26% of the
nation's total river miles. These percentages represent
approximately 15,368,036 lake acres and 930,938 river miles
under advisory in 2006.
In 2005 and 2006, 22 states and the District of Columbia
reported that 100% of their lake acres and river miles were
under advisory for one or more contaminants: Connecticut,
District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, West
Virginia, and Wisconsin. The percentages of lake acres and
river miles under advisory in 2005 and 2006 for the remaining
states are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Percentage of Lake Acres and River Miles Under
Advisory by State
State
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Delaware
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
% Lake acres under
advisory
2005
0.1%
1.2%
0.7%
19.5%
12.0%
2.4%
1 1 .0%
0.0%
21 .9%
0.1%
0.0%
1.4%
100.0%
100.0%
7.2%
3.8%
0.0%
19.5%
0.1%
2.6%
4.0%
1.4%
9.2%
12.2%
0.0%
8.5%
2006
0.1%
1.2%
0.7%
1 9.7%
1 6.5%
8.9%
1 1 .2%
0.0%
29.8%
0.2%
0.0%
3.5%
100.0%
100.0%
7.2%
3.9%
0.0%
1 9.5%
0.1%
2.6%
1 6.7%
1.4%
9.2%
1 2.5%
0.0%
9.3%
% River miles under
advisory
2005
0.6%
0.1%
0.3%
0.1%
0.0%
20.0%
3.7%
16.2%
0.0%
0.0%
0.1%
1.2%
3.5%
3.5%
0.3%
0.8%
0.4%
0.1%
0.1%
0.5%
5.2%
0.0%
0.6%
0.1%
0.1%
4.7%
2006
0.7%
0.1%
0.3%
0.1%
0.0%
24.3%
4.2%
1 6.2%
0.0%
0.2%
0.1%
1.2%
3.5%
3.5%
0.3%
0.9%
0.4%
0.1%
0.2%
0.5%
5.2%
0.0%
0.6%
0.1%
0.1%
4.7%
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Figure 1. Total Number of Fish Consumption Advisories in 2005.
NH = 9
MA =152
D Advisories exist for specific waterbodies only
E3 Statewide lakes only advisory included in count
E3 Statewide rivers and lakes advisory included in count
• Statewide coastal advisory included in count
• Statewide advisory for marine fish included in count
D No advisories for chemical contaminants
AS = 1 D VI = 0 D
GU = 2 D PR = 0 D
a -Inc ludes U) advisory from the C heyenne River Sioux Tribe
b -Includes (16) advisories from (he Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC)
and the Minnesota Chippewa Tribes
c -Includes (70} advisories from the (GLIFWQ
d -Includes U0> advisories from the (GLIFWO
e -Includes (1) advisory from the Si, Regis Mohawk Tribe
f -Includes (2) advisories from the Aroostook Band of Mjcmacs
2005 Total = 3,373
Figure 2. Total Number of Fish Consumption Advisories in 2006
n Advisories exist for specific waterbodies only
£3 Statewide lakes only advisory included in count
H Statewide rivers and lakes advisory included in count
• Statewide coastal advisory included in count
B Statewide advisory for marine fish included in count
D No advisories for chemical contaminants
a -Includes) 1) advisory from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
b -Includes (28) advisories from the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWO
and the Minnesota Chippewa Tribes
c -Includes (297) advisories from the (GUFWC)
d -Includes (JO) advisories from ihe (GLIFWC)
e -Includes (1) advisory from the Si. Regis Mohawk Tribe
T -Includes (2) advisories from the Aroostook Band of Micmacs
D VI = 0 n
D PR = 0 D
2006 Total = 3,852
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All (100%) of the Great Lakes and their connecting waters were
under advisory for at least one contaminant in 2005 and 2006
(Table 2). The Great Lakes and their connecting waters are
considered separately from other waters and are not included in
the above calculations of total lake acres or river miles.
Table 2. Fish Advisories Issued for the Great Lakes
Great
Lakes
Lake
Superior
Lake
Michigan
Lake Huron
Lake Erie
Lake
Ontario
PCBs
•
•
•
•
•
Dioxins
•
•
•
•
•
Mercury
•
•
•
•
Chlordane
•
•
•
Mirex
•
DDT
•
The number of lake acres and river miles under advisory is
related to the number of assessments of chemical contaminants
in fish and water-dependent wildlife tissues, as well as the
states' use of statewide advisories.
A statewide advisory is issued to warn the public of potential
contamination of specific species of fish or water-dependent
wildlife (e.g., turtles or waterfowl) in certain types of waterbodies
(e.g., lakes, rivers, or coastal waters) across the state. Thirty-
three states had statewide advisories in effect in 2005 (Table 3).
Oklahoma and West Virginia reported new statewide advisories
for lakes and rivers in 2005. There were no changes to the
number of statewide advisories in 2006.
In addition to the Great Lakes, other large lakes and estuaries
are currently under advisory for a variety of contaminants. For
example, the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay is under
advisory. The Potomac, James, Back, Anacostia, Piankatank,
and Patapsco rivers that connect to the Chesapeake Bay
continue to be under advisory. Baltimore Harbor, which also
connects to the Chesapeake Bay, is under advisory for
chlordane and PCS contamination in fish and blue crabs.
Portions of the upper bay of New York Harbor, Delaware Bay
and River, and portions of Puget Sound have also been placed
under advisory in the last two years.
Fifteen states have issued fish advisories for all of their coastal
waters (Table 3). Almost 65% of the coastline of the United
States (excluding Alaska, which has no advisories) continues to
remain under advisory. Based on coastal size estimates from
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 92% of
the Atlantic coast and 100% of the Gulf coast were under
advisory in 2005 and 2006. The Atlantic coast advisories have
been issued for a wide variety of chemical contaminants
including mercury, PCBs, dioxins, and cadmium. All of the Gulf
coast advisories have been issued for mercury. No Pacific
coast state has issued a statewide advisory for any of its
coastal waters, although several local areas along the Pacific
coast are under advisory. Hawaii still maintains a statewide
advisory for mercury in several marine fish species.
Table 3. Summary of Statewide Advisories by Waterbody Type and
Year Issued
State
Alabama
Connecticut
Dist. of
Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
New
Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Lake
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Mirex
DDT
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Issued
1996
1993
2002
2002
2004
2000
1994
2001
1996
1993
1999
2001
2003
1995
1995
1994
2001
1997
2005
2001
2002
1995
2003
2005
2000
River
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Mirex
DDT
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Issued
1996
1993
2002
2002
1996
2000
1994
2004
1996
2001
2003
1995
1995
1994
2001
1997
2005
2001
2002
1995
2003
2005
2000
Coastal
Waters
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury*
Mercury
Dioxins
Mercury
PCBs
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Dioxin
PCBs
Dioxins
Cadmium
Dioxins
PCBs
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Issued
1996
1993
1993
2000
2003
1997
1994
1994
1998
1994
1993
1995
2000
1993
2001
1997
* Hawaii has a statewide advisory for mercury in marine fish.
Safe Eating Guidelines
EPA encourages states to issue safe eating guidelines when
providing advisory information. In addition to issuing statewide
advisories warning the public about chemical contaminants in
fish tissue, states are increasingly issuing safe eating guidelines
to inform the public that fish from specific waterbodies or certain
species offish have been tested for chemical contaminants and
have been shown to contain very low levels of contaminants.
By issuing safe eating guidelines, the states are identifying
monitored waters or species for the public where no restrictions
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on eating fish apply, as well as promoting enjoyment of
recreational fishing.
In 1993, the first year that the National Listing of Fish Advisories
collected data on safe eating guidelines, there were only 20
such guidelines in effect. This number increased slowly until
2004, when three states reported 827 new safe eating
guidelines, bringing the 2004 total to 1,213. The total number of
safe eating guidelines dropped slightly to 1,193 in 2005, but
rose to 1,247 in 2006. Table 4 shows the trend in the issuance
of safe eating guidelines since 1993. As of December 31, 2006,
22 states have issued safe eating guidelines. The largest
numbers of safe eating guidelines have been issued in
Minnesota (834), Georgia (171), Texas (46) and South Carolina
(43). Alabama doubled their total number of safe eating
guidelines from 16 to 32 between 2005 and 2006. Washington
added 20 new safe eating guidelines. No tribes have issued
safe eating guidelines.
Five states have issued statewide safe eating guidelines. In
2001, Alaska issued a statewide guideline to inform the public
that all of Alaska's fish are safe to eat without restrictions. In
2002, Wisconsin issued a safe eating guideline for bluegill and
other sunfish, yellow perch, white and black crappie, and
bullheads in all lakes statewide. Minnesota issued a similar
guideline for panfish statewide. Connecticut and Vermont also
have species-specific statewide safe eating guidelines for lakes
and rivers. There are a few waterbody-specific exceptions to
the safe eating guidelines, so consumers are advised to review
waterbody-specific information on state Web sites.
Table 4. Total Safe Eating Guidelines Issued Since 1993
Year Issued
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
New Advisories
20
12
35
10
2
25
44
7
20
164
47
827
-20
54
Cumulative Advisories
20
32
67
77
79
104
148
155
175
339
386
1,213
1,193
1,247
In 2006, 3% of river miles and 18% of lake acres in the
conterminous United States had safe eating guidelines for at
least one fish species. Approximately 96,625 river miles and
5,285,923 lake acres had safe eating guidelines in 2006.
Between 2004 and 2006 the area for which there were safe
eating guidelines increased by 20,556 river miles and by
238,002 lake acres. The number of these guidelines is likely to
grow as more states identify safe fishing waters or species
(e.g., sunfish and other panfish) that do not tend to accumulate
chemical contaminants in their tissues to the same extent as
long-lived predatory species (e.g., largemouth bass, walleye,
northern pike, catfish). These guidelines will help direct the
public toward making more informed decisions about the
waterbodies in which they fish, as well as healthier choices
about the species that they choose to eat.
Bioaccumulative Contaminants
Although there are advisories in the United States for 44
different chemical contaminants, 88% of all advisories in effect
in 2006 involved five bioaccumulative chemical contaminants:
mercury, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins, and DDT. Bioaccumulative
chemical contaminants accumulate in the tissues of aquatic
organisms at concentrations many times higher than
concentrations in the water. They can persist for relatively long
periods in sediments, where bottom-dwelling organisms that are
low in the food chain can accumulate them and pass them up
the food chain to fish. Concentrations of bioaccumulative
contaminants in the tissues of aquatic organisms may increase
at each level of the food chain. As a result, top predators in a
food chain, such as largemouth bass or walleye, may have
concentrations of bioaccumulative contaminants in their tissues
a million times higher than the concentrations found in the
waterbodies.
Mercury
The total number of advisories for mercury increased from
2,436 in 2004, to 2,682 in 2005 and 3,080 in 2006. Forty-eight
states, 1 territory, and 2 tribes have issued mercury advisories.
Eighty percent of all advisories have been issued, at least in
part, because of mercury. The increase in the number of
mercury advisories in 2005 and 2006 can be attributed to the
issuance of new mercury advisories by 25 states, and American
Samoa. Most of the new mercury advisories issued in 2005
and 2006 were in Wisconsin (293), Michigan (46), New York
(36) and Minnesota (32). In 2005, American Samoa, Kansas,
Oklahoma and Utah issued mercury advisories for the first time,
and Iowa did the same in 2006.
A total of 14,035,676 lake acres and 882,428 river miles were
under advisory for mercury in 2005. In 2006, these numbers
increased to 14,177,175 lake acres and 882,963 river miles.
This represents an increase of 993,427 lake acres (+8%) and
117,564 river miles (+15%) under advisory between 2004 and
2006. The increases in area and miles are primarily due to new
statewide advisories for mercury in Oklahoma and West Virginia
in 2005, along with new advisories issued in Louisiana, Idaho
and New York in 2006.
Currently, 23 states (Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia) have
issued statewide advisories for mercury in freshwater lakes
and/or rivers. Twelve states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire,
North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas) have
statewide advisories for mercury in their coastal waters. Hawaii
has a statewide advisory for mercury in marine fish. The
Micmac tribe of Maine has two reservation-wide advisories in
effect for mercury in freshwater and marine fish (including
lobster). In addition, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has one
reservation-wide advisory for mercury in rivers, lakes, and stock
ponds.
PCBs
In 2005, there were 953 advisories in place for PCBs, with 38
states, American Samoa, Guam and the St. Regis Mohawk
Tribe reporting PCS advisories in 2005. In 2006, there were
1,023 advisories in place for PCBs. Between 2004 and 2006,
the number of PCS advisories increased from 873 to 1,023.
Ten states added new advisories for PCBs in 2005, and 13
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states added new advisories in 2006. New Mexico issued new
PCS advisories for the first time. There were 4,652,648 lake
acres and 118,904 river miles under advisory for PCBs in 2005,
and 4,699,936 lake acres and 132,228 river miles under
advisory in 2006. Four states (District of Columbia, Indiana,
Minnesota, and New York) have statewide freshwater (river
and/or lake) advisories for PCBs, and seven other states
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) have PCS advisories for
all of their coastal marine waters.
Chlordane
All uses of the pesticide chlordane were banned in the United
States in 1988 and the compound continues to degrade in the
environment. However, due in part to increased monitoring, the
number of chlordane advisories has risen slightly from 2004 to
2006. In 2005 there were 101 fish advisories for chlordane in
effect and in 2006 the total increased to 105. The states adding
new chlordane advisories in 2006 were South Carolina (1),
Massachusetts (1) and Delaware (2). The chlordane advisories
covered 847,771 lake acres and 58,668 river miles in 2006,
which represents an increase of 529 lake acres and 4,536 river
miles since 2004.
Dioxins
The number of dioxin advisories rose from 106 in 2004 to 111 in
2005, and 125 in 2006. A total of 38,181 lake acres and 13,231
river miles were under advisory for dioxin in 2006. Although
dioxins are one of the five major contaminants that have
resulted in the issuance of health advisories, the geographic
extent of dioxin advisories is extremely limited compared to that
for the other four major contaminants. This is due in part to the
limited monitoring of dioxins because of the high costs
associated with laboratory analysis. Also, dioxins have been
associated primarily with specific locations near some pulp and
paper plants that use a bleach kraft process, as well as with
other types of chemical manufacturing facilities or incineration
facilities.
DDT
Although the use of DDT, an organochlorine pesticide, has
been banned in the U.S. since 1975, the total number of DDT
advisories (or its degradation products, DDE and ODD) has
risen from 67 in 2004 to 73 in 2005 and 84 in 2006. The
majority of new DDT advisories were issued by Delaware and
Texas. In 2006, 858,920 lake acres and 53,468 river miles
were under advisory for DDT, which represents an 8% increase
in lake acres and essentially no change in river miles since
2004.
Other Contaminants
Although the previously discussed five bioaccumulative
contaminant groups account for 88% of the total number of
advisories, the remaining 12% of all fish advisories are caused
by other contaminants. These include organochlorine
pesticides (i.e., dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, kepone, mirex, and
toxaphene), heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, chromium,
copper, lead, selenium, and zinc), as well as a myriad of other
chemical compounds, including creosote, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol,
and diethylphthalate.
In 2005, five states issued 27 new advisories for other
contaminants: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, and Texas.
Florida issued one advisory for Saxitoxin. Georgia and Indiana
issued new advisories for contaminants not specified, while
Kansas issued new advisories for lead and cadmium and Texas
for zinc, arsenic and cadmium. In 2005, 2,483,466 lake acres
and 102,212 river miles were estimated to be under advisory for
other contaminants.
In 2006, eleven states issued 69 new advisories for other
contaminants: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina,
and Washington. In 2006, 2,873,349 lake acres and 126,323
river miles were under advisory for other contaminants.
Although these other chemical contaminants represent only
12% of the total number of advisories, the extent of the area
under advisory for these contaminants exceeds both the lake
acres and river miles under advisory for Chlordane, Dioxins and
DDT combined. The majority of lake acres and river miles
under advisory for other chemical contaminants are the result of
a statewide advisory in Maine for cadmium, and a statewide
advisory in New York for Mirex.
Wildlife Advisories
In addition to advisories for fish, the National Listing of Fish
Advisories Web site also contains several water-dependent
wildlife advisories. In 2005, no new advisories were issued for
water-dependent wildlife, but Washington issued an advisory for
seaweed. In 2006, Utah issued an advisory for mercury in
ducks. States have issued wildlife advisories in previous years
that are still in effect. Four states have issued consumption
advisories for turtles: Massachusetts (1), Minnesota (6), New
York (statewide advisory), and Rhode Island (1). In addition,
Massachusetts has an advisory for frogs; New York has a
statewide advisory for waterfowl; Utah has an advisory for
American coot and ducks, and Maine issued a statewide
advisory for cadmium in moose liver and kidneys.
National Advice Concerning Mercury in Fish
In 2004, EPA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
issued advice for women who might become pregnant, women
who are pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. The
national advice is not included in the statistics presented in this
fact sheet. The following advice is still in effect:
"Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish
and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential
nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty
acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and
shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper
growth and development; therefore, women and young children
in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to
the many nutritional benefits.
Nearly all fish and shellfish, however, contain traces of mercury.
For most people, the risk from mercury from eating fish and
shellfish is not a health concern. Yet some fish and shellfish
contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby
or young child's developing nervous system. The risks from
mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and
shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and
shellfish. Therefore, the FDA and EPA are advising women who
may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and
young children to avoid some types of fish and to only eat fish
and shellfish that are lower in mercury."
By following the three recommendations listed below for
selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children
will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be
confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful
effects of mercury.
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• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish
because they contain high levels of mercury.
• Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety
offish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
- Five of the most commonly consumed fish that are low in
mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock,
and catfish.
- Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna
has more mercury than canned light tuna. Eat up to 6
ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
• Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by
family and friends in local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas.
If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average
meal) per week offish caught from local waters, but do not
consume any other fish during that week.
Follow these same recommendations when including fish and
shellfish in a young child's diet, but serve smaller portions. More
information on the joint federal advisory is available at
www.epa.gov/fishadvisories.
For More Information
For more information on specific advisories within a state,
contact the appropriate state agency listed on the National
Listing of Fish Advisories Web site at http://www.epa.gov/
fishadvisories. For restricted consumption advisories, state
health departments provide specific information on the meal
size and meal frequency (number of meals per week or month)
that is considered safe to eat.
For more information on how to reduce exposure, consult EPA's
brochure What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and
Shellfish, available in several languages on EPA's fish advisory
Web site: http://www.epa.gov/fishadvisories.
For more information on the National Listing of Fish Advisories,
contact:
Erica Fleisig
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Science and Technology (4305T)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone 202-566-1057
E-mail fleisiq.erica@.epa.qov
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