Newsroom
All News Releases By Date
EPA UPDATES ANNUAL LIST OF FISH ADVISORIES AND MAKES FISH ADVISORIES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET
Release Date: 08/12/99
Contact Information:
United States Communications, Education,
Environmental Protection And Media Relations
Agency (1703)
- Press Advisory
Following are some Agency developments which may interest you. If you need
more information on any of these subjects, call the appropriate contact.
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1999
EPA UPDATES ANNUAL LIST OF FISH ADVISORIES
AND MAKES FISH ADVISORIES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET
AND MAKES FISH ADVISORIES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET
As part of the Administration’s right-to-know initiative, EPA is making it easier for the public to find out if the fish they catch is safe to eat. They can now check for local fish consumption warnings on any river, lake or stream through EPA’s national list of fish advisories at: https://www.epa.gov/ost/fish. Each year, states and tribes provide EPA with a list of fish advisories they have issued. This information is compiled into a national listing of fish advisories and, for the first time, is now searchable on line. The advisories apply primarily to non-commercial fish and shellfish obtained through sport, recreation and subsistence activities. Fish advisories inform the public on which fish to avoid or limit eating due to elevated levels of pollutants. Each advisory is different: it may recommend no or limited consumption; may be targeted to everyone or limited to women and/or children; and/or may apply to certain species or sizes of fish. The database includes all available information describing state and tribal issued fish consumption advisories in the United States through December l998, and for 12 Canadian provinces through l997. The number of advisories in the United States rose by nine percent or 205 in l998 to 2,506, due primarily to better monitoring of fish contamination, not to increased pollution. The total number of advisories in the United States increased for three major contaminants, mercury, PCBs and DDT. Dioxin advisories declined, in part, because more pulp and paper mills have changed their bleaching processes. Chlordane advisories also declined due to a recent re-evaluation of the toxicity of chlordane. The number of water bodies under advisory represents 15.8 percent of the nation’s total lake acres and 6.8 percent of the nation’s total river miles. In addition, all of the Great Lakes waters and nearly 60 percent of the nation’s coastal waters remain under advisory. A fact sheet with additional information is available at: https://www.epa.gov/ost/fish or by calling EPA’s Fish Contamination Program at 202-260-1305. Those persons without Internet access may obtain a copy of the National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories by calling the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at 1-800-490-9198.
R-97 ###
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.
