MDCH advises nobody to eat fillets from lake trout caught in Torch Lake. Previously, the advice was to not eat fillets from lake trout 26 inches or longer. Dioxins are a group of chemicals that have similar structures and chemical properties, and are usually found together in the environment. The health effects associated with dioxins may include cancer, reproductive or developmental effects, and effects on the immune system.

The Michigan Fish Advisory is about helping people choose and eat safe fish from Michigan rivers, inland lakes, and the surrounding Great Lakes. The Advisory has length and species-specific advice for individual Michigan waters based on test results conducted on fish fillet.

Young children, and especially the unborn fetus, are more at risk if exposed to too much of the chemicals that build up in fish. Women of childbearing age and young children who regularly eat sport-caught fish from Michigan waters are strongly encouraged to follow this advisory. It also provides advice about eating safe fish for adult men and women beyond childbearing age.

To obtain a free copy of the Michigan's Fish Consumption Advisory, call the Michigan Department of Community Health toll free at 1-800-648-6942 or go to www.michigan.gov/fishandgameadvisory. The Health Department of Northwest Michigan will host a public information session on the Torch Lake advisory in Alden, Michigan at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27th at Alden United Methodist Church. For more information about this event, please contact Health Department of Northwest Michigan's Bellaire office (231) 533-8670.