United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water EPA- 820-F-12-002
June 2012
Survey Evaluating Effectiveness of
Mississippi Delta Fish Advisories
Summary
In 2009, in cooperation with the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), EPA conducted a survey to evaluate the
effectiveness of the regional Mississippi Delta
fish advisory issued by the State in 2001. The
study concluded that although overall awareness
of the advisory was low (28 percent), a very
high percentage of those who were aware of it
(91 percent) followed the fish consumption
advice.
The survey revealed that 28 percent of all
respondents and 46 percent of fishermen
reported being aware of a warning or advisory
about eating wild-caught fish from the
Mississippi Delta. Respondents reported some
changes in fish consumption practices since
learning about the advisory, and also reported
limited changes in fish preparation and cooking
practices after learning about the advisory.
Background
The MDEQ completed a Mississippi Delta fish
tissue study in 2001. Study results indicated that
concentrations of DDT and toxaphene exceeded
levels of concern set by the State of Mississippi
at all study sites and for several fish species
sampled. Based on the results of the study, the
State determined that a regional Mississippi
Delta fish consumption advisory was warranted
for several species offish. Later in 2001, under a
grant from EPA, MDEQ issued a still-standing
regional Delta advisory from Memphis to
Vicksburg because of high levels of DDT in fish
harvested from Delta waters.
Also in 2001, MDEQ initiated an extensive
outreach campaign to make people aware of the
advisory. The outreach campaign included
posting signs at fishing access points, fish
markets, and tackle shops; an extensive public
media campaign involving news conferences,
news releases, and radio and television spots;
and door-to-door canvassing in some
communities.
EPA conducted its survey in 2009 to understand
the extent to which the Delta population who
catches and/or eats fish from the Delta is aware
of the advisory, and for those who are aware, the
changes they have made in the types offish they
catch and eat since hearing of the advisory. The
recommended study design for the survey was
developed by an EPA workgroup and is detailed
in a 2007 report, Recommended Study Design
for a Survey to Evaluate the Effectiveness of
Mississippi Delta Fish Advisories.
EPA conducted more than 400 interviews of
fisherman who consumed fish from the lakes
and rivers and more than 600 telephone
interviews. Random selection statistical methods
were used to select the water bodies and
households for the survey.
What are the results?
There are three key findings of the survey:
(1) Twenty-eight percent of all respondents
and forty-six percent of fishermen reported
being aware of a warning or advisory about
eating wild-caught fish from the Mississippi
Delta.
The level of awareness of the advisory varied for
different sub-populations examined in the study,
suggesting that the advisory may be more
effective at reaching some populations than
others.
Gender, race, education and proximity to a
major media market affected awareness.
Few respondents exceeded the advisory
recommendations of two meals per month of
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carp, gar, large catfish, and buffalo fish.
Ten percent of respondents who consume wild-
caught fish from the Mississippi Delta consumed
more than the advisory recommendations during
the past year.
Ninety-one percent of aware respondents
reported that they usually follow the advisory
recommendations, and 84 percent said it is not a
problem at all to limit consumption offish
included in the advisory.
(2) Respondents reported some changes in
fish consumption practices since learning
about the advisory.
Since learning about the advisory, 33 percent of
buffalo fish consumers reported that they
stopped eating buffalo fish and 54 percent
reported eating less.
Since learning about the advisory, 52 percent of
large catfish consumers reported that they
stopped eating large catfish and 33 percent
reported eating less.
(3) Respondents reported limited changes in
fish preparation and cooking practices since
learning about the advisory.
Six percent of respondents reported changing
how they prepare or cook fish as a result of the
fish advisory. The most common change made
was frying fish less often or using a different
cooking method instead of frying.
For More Information
To view the survey results and the report about
the survey, entitled Survey on the Awareness
and Effectiveness of the Mississippi Delta Fish
Consumption Advisory, visit EPA's website at
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/fishshel
Ifish/fishadvisories/technical.cfm.
You may also contact Jeff Bigler at (202) 566-
0389 or bigler.jeffigiepa.gov.
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