2008
Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
EPA-823-F-09-007
September 2009
Since 993, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made
available to the public an annual compendium of information on locally
issued fish advisories and safe eating guidelines.This information is provided
to EPA by the states, U.S. territories, Native American tribes, and local
governments that issue fish consumption advisories and safe eating guidelines
to inform people about the recommended level of consumption for fish
caught in local waters. Fish consumption advisories provide advice to limit or
avoid eating certain fish due to contamination with chemical pollutants. Safe
eating guidelines are designations of monitored waters where there is no
restriction on eating specific types offish. The 2008 National Listing
of Fish Advisories (NLFA)1 database shows that the number offish
advisories issued continues to rise.
The 2008 NLFA is available online at
www.epa.gov/fishadvisories
Background
All 50 states, the District of Columbia,
the U.S. territories of American Samoa
and Guam, and five Native American
tribes (for simplicity, referred to here as
"states") have fish consumption advi-
sories in place to protect their residents
from the potential health risks of eating
contaminated fish caught in local waters.
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 and in
the specific advice that is provided when
contaminated fish are found. Because of
this variability, it is difficult to draw na-
tional conclusions or to establish national
trends in fish advisories.
A fish consumption advisory is not a
regulation, but rather a recommendation
issued to help protect public health. These
advisories may include recommendations
to limit or avoid eating certain fish and
wildlife species caught from specific water
bodies or from water-body types (e.g.,
all lakes) due to chemical contamina-
tion. An advisory may be issued for the
general public, including recreational and
subsistence fishers, or it may be issued
specifically for sensitive populations, such
as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and
children.
An advisory for a specific water body or
water-body type may cover more than one
affected fish species or chemical
The NLFA fact sheet was produced annually through the EPA 2004 National Listing of Fish Advisories
report. In 2005, EPA decided to release subsequent fact sheets on a biennial basis because of nominal
changes in data from year to year. This fact sheet summarizes data submitted by the states and discusses
changes in data for the 2008 data reporting cycle. Advisory data for the 2007 reporting cycle and previous
years can be found on the EPA Web site at www.epa.gov/fishadvisories.
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2008 Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
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contaminant. Because of the wide range in the
number of lake acres and river miles affected
by one advisory, the number of advisories does
not tell the full story of the geographic extent of
waters subject to state advice. Therefore, EPA also
provides information about the total lake acres
and total river miles for which advisories are cur-
rently in effect (Figure 1).
States are increasingly issuing statewide advisories
to warn the public of the potential human health
risks from chemical contamination of certain
species offish from all water bodies within the
state. States are also continuing to issue safe eat-
ing guidelines to inform the public that fish from
specific water bodies have been tested for chemi-
cal contaminants and that, based on those results,
certain species offish from those water bodies
are safe to eat without consumption restrictions.
As states increase their monitoring activities,
the quantity of available information about fish
contamination also increases, resulting in better
public health protection.
National Listing of Fish Advisories Web Site
The NLFA Web site (www.epa.gov/fishadvisories) includes infor-
mation about the species and size offish under advisory, the chemi-
cal contaminants identified in the advisory, the location of the
water body, and the population for whom the advisory was issued.
The NLFA Web site also includes data on the concentrations of
contaminants in fish tissue for 49 states/territories/tribes. Through
this Web site, users can generate national, regional, and state maps
that summarize advisory information.
n n
• River Miles
D Lake Acres
r
1
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-i
-
_
p
-
-
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1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Year
Figure I shows the percentage of total lake acres and river miles under advisory from 1993 to
2008.
Synopsis of the 2008 National Listing of Fish
Advisories
EPA's 2008 National Listing of Fish Advisories indicates that the
number of advisories increased by 397 since 2006, bringing the
total number of advisories in effect from 3,852 in 2006 to 4,249
in 2008. Approximately 18 million lake acres and 1.4 million river
miles were under advisory in 2008, representing 43 percent of
the nation's total lake acreage and 39 percent of the nation's total
river miles. From 2006 to 2008, the number of lake acres under
advisory increased by 18 percent, and the number of river miles
increased by 52 percent.
The increase in lake acres and river miles under advisory from
2006 to 2008 can be attributed primarily to the issuance of several
new statewide advisories. A statewide advisory is issued to warn the
public of potential contamination of certain types offish in specific
types of water bodies across the state, resulting in the designation
of all river miles and/or lake acres in the state as under advisory.
Four states (Delaware, Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming) issued
new statewide advisories for all freshwaters in 2007 and 2008. As
shown in Figure 2, 38 states had statewide advisories in effect in
2008.
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2008 Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
N.
«.«. HI
AS s^-v-s^-j-t
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Figure 2 shows the states with statewide advisories in effect in 2008.
Safe Eating Guidelines
EPA encourages states to issue safe eating guidelines when provid-
ing advisory information to inform the public that certain species
offish from specific bodies of water have been tested and have been
shown to contain very low levels of contaminants. The states help
promote recreational fishing by identifying monitored waters where
designated fish are safe to eat without consumption restrictions.
The total number of safe eating guidelines increased from 20 in
1993 to 1,247 in 2006, but dropped to 874 in 2008. In 2008, safe
eating guidelines were in effect in 22 states, covering approximately
53,728 river miles (2 percent of the national total) and 2.3 million
lake acres (8 percent of the national total). These river-mile and
lake-acre figures represent decreases of 42,897 river miles and near-
ly 3 million lake acres since 2006. Although several states issued a
total of 120 new guidelines between 2006 and 2008, the overall
geographic area covered by these guidelines decreased because one
state rescinded almost 500 guidelines in the past 2 years.
Guam
Puerto Rico
Legend
No Statewide
Freshwater Advisories
Statewide Advisories
for Freshwater
Statewide Advisories
for Lakes
Statewide Coastal
Advisories
»
*=' Virgin Islands
Bioaccumulative Contaminants
Although there are advisories in the United States for 34 different
chemical contaminants, 97 percent of all advisories in effect in
2008 involved the following five bioaccumulative chemical con-
taminants: mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane,
dioxins, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) (Figures 3
and 4, Table 1). These chemical contaminants accumulate in the
tissues of aquatic organisms at concentrations many times higher
than concentrations in the water and can persist for many years
in sediments, where bottom-dwelling organisms that are lower on
the food chain can accumulate them and pass them to fish that
are higher on the food chain. As a result, top predators in a food
chain (e.g., largemouth bass, walleye) may have concentrations of
bioaccumulative contaminants in their tissues that are significantly
higher than the concentrations found in the water.
As of 2008, 50 states, one U.S. territory, and three tribes have
issued mercury advisories. Eighty percent of all advisories in effect
in 2008 were issued, at least in part, because of mercury. In 2008,
3
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2008 Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
there were 16.8 million lake acres and 1.3 million river miles under
advisory for mercury. This represents an increase from 2006 of 19
percent for lake acres and 42 percent for river miles. The increase
in the area under advisory was largely driven by the new statewide
mercury advisories in Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming.
Other Bioaccumulative Contaminants
PCBs: Between 2006 and 2008, lake acres under advisory for
PCBs increased by 29 percent, and river miles under advisory
decreased by 1.5 percent.
Chlordane: All registered uses of the pesticide chlordane were
banned in the United States in 1988, and the compound continues
to degrade in the environment. Between 2006 and 2008, lake acres
under advisory for chlordane decreased by 1 percent, and river
miles under advisory decreased by 8 percent.
Dioxins: Between 2006 and 2008, lake acres under advisory for
dioxin decreased by 7 percent, and river miles under advisory
decreased by 11 percent.
DDT: The use of DDT, an organochlorine pesticide, has been
banned in the United States since 1975. Lake acres and river miles
under advisory for DDT both increased less than 1 percent from
2006 to 2008.
Other Contaminants: Three percent of all fish advisories are
caused solely by other contaminants, including organochlorine
pesticides, heavy metals, and contaminants of emerging concern
such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In 2008, approximately
2.6 million lake acres and 243,534 river miles were under advisory
for other contaminants.
Wildlife Advisories
In 2008, five states had a total of 6 wildlife advisories in effect,
down from 12 advisories in 2006. New York had a statewide advi-
sory for waterfowl, and Maine had a statewide advisory for moose
liver and kidney. Massachusetts and Rhode Island had specific
water body advisories for frogs and turtles, while Utah had two
advisories for ducks.
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Dioxins
L
DDT
Other
2008
• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004
2003
• 2002
• 2001
• 2000
• 1999
1998
• 1997
• 1996
1995
• 1994
• 1993
0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000 14,000,000 16,000,000 18,000,000
Lake Acres Under Advisory
Figure 3 shows the total lake acres under advisory for mercury, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins, DDT and other contaminants
from 1993 to 2008.
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2008 Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
ATTENTION
oa Hoi t*i Tint rtTti
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Dioxins
DDT
Other
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000
River Miles Under Advisory
Figure 4 shows the total river miles under advisory for mercury, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins, DDT and other contaminants
from 1993 to 2008.
Table I. Number of advisories and lake acres and river miles under advisory in 2006
and 2008 for each contaminant.
Contaminant Number of Advisories Lake Acres River Miles
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Dioxins
DDT
2006
3,080
1,023
105
125
84
2008
3,361
1,025
67
123
76
2006
14,177,175
4,699,936
847,771
38,181
876,175
2008
1 6,808,032
6,049,506
842,913
35,400
876,520
2006
882,963
1 32,228
58,668
2,315
69,021
2008
1 ,254,893
1 30,248
54,029
2,055
69,198
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2008 Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
National Advice Concerning
Mercury in Fish
In 2004, EPA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
tion (FDA) issued advice for women who might become
pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children.
(The national advice is not included in the statistics pre-
sented in this fact sheet.) The following advice from EPA
and FDA is still in effect:
By adhering to the following three recommendations for
selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young
children will receive the health benefits of eating fish and
shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their
exposure to the harmful effects of mercury:
• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish
because they contain high levels of mercury.
• Eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) each week of a
variety of fish 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.
- Albacore ("white") tuna is another commonly
consumed fish that 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 offish 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 por-
tions.
For more information about the ways to reduce mercury
exposure, consult EPA's brochure, What You Need to Know
About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish, which is available in
several languages on EPA's NLFA Web site at www.epa.gov/
fishadvisories.
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2008 Biennial National Listing of Fish Advisories
EPA Fish Advisory Program Activities
The National Forum on Contaminants in Fish
This forum is a biennial event sponsored by EPA to bring
together public health and environmental professionals from
states, tribes, and other interested groups to discuss the many
issues related to assessing risks and benefits offish consumption.
The next forum is scheduled for November 2—5, 2009, in
Portland, Oregon. More information on the forum is available
online at www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum.
Mississippi Delta Fish Consumption Survey
EPA's Fish Advisory Program is partnering with FDA and the
Mississippi State Department of Environmental Quality to assess
the awareness and effectiveness of existing fish consumption
advisories in the Mississippi Delta. Objectives of the study are to:
• Determine the extent to which Delta sport and subsistence
fishers and their families are aware of the advisory and its
recommendations;
• Determine the extent to which Delta sport and subsistence
fishermen and their families have changed their fish
consumption behaviors as a result of the Delta advisory; and
• Document specific behavior changes, such as changes in the
amount offish consumed, method offish preparation used,
and species offish consumed and avoided.
The survey is scheduled to be completed in early 2010, at which
time results will be published.
Fish Tissue Contaminant Studies
As part of our ongoing contaminant assessment activities, EPA
has expanded the evaluation of contaminants in fish tissue to
include Contaminants of Emerging Concern. Moving beyond
the legacy of persistent organic contaminants and toxic metals,
EPA's sampling and analysis activities include a pilot study of the
occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products
(PPCPs) in five effluent-dominated streams, completed in 2008,
and ongoing sampling offish as part of a nationally representative
study offish caught in urban rivers. Fish tissue samples collected
from urban river segments as a part of the National Pvivers and
Streams Assessment will be analyzed for the presence of PPCP
compounds and perfluorinated organic compounds (e.g., PFOS,
perfluorooctanoic acid). In addition, a full suite of persistent or-
ganic compounds will be analyzed and mercury levels determined
in all the river samples (urban and non-urban) in this national
study. For further information about these studies, contact
Leanne Stahl (stahl.leanne@epa.gov).
Additional Information
For more information about specific advisories within
a state, contact the appropriate state agency listed on
EPA's NLFAWeb site atwww.epa.gov/fishadvisories.
For more information about the NLFA
or EPA's Fish Advisory Program, contact:
Jeff Bigler, National Program Manager
Fish and Wildlife Contamination Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Science and Technology (4305T)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202)566-0389
E-mail: bigler.jeff@epa.gov
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