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Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program

Walleye lined up on ice and snow
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program

EGLE's report entitled "A Strategic Environmental Quality Monitoring Program for Michigan's Surface Waters" (Strategy) describes the monitoring activities that are necessary for a comprehensive assessment of water quality in Michigan's surface waters. One component of the Strategy is expanded and improved fish contaminant monitoring.

Check out our Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program FAQ

  • Aquatic biologist Mike McCauley collects fish from the Carp River near Negaunee

    History of the Program

    The Michigan Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program (FCMP) has been in existence since 1980. Prior to 1986, fish contaminant monitoring studies were conducted primarily to investigate localized areas of contamination. In 1986, the FCMP was redesigned to allow a better assessment of chemical contamination in fish throughout the state's surface waters. Fish contaminant data are used to determine whether fish from waters of the state are safe for human and wildlife consumption, and as a surrogate measure of bioaccumulative contaminants in surface water.

Program Objectives

  1. Determine whether fish from the waters of the state are safe for human consumption by collecting edible portion (e.g. fillets) contaminant data to be used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service's (MDHHS) Eat Safe Fish program.
  2. Measure whole fish contamination concentrations in the waters of the state for trend analysis and to assist the EGLE's Wildlife Contaminant Monitoring Program.
  3. Assess whether contaminant levels in fish are changing with time.
  4. Assist in the identification of waters that may exceed standards and target additional monitoring activities.
  5. Evaluate the overall effectiveness of EGLE programs in reducing contaminant levels in fish.
  6. Identify waters of the state that are high quality.
  7. Determine if new chemicals are bioaccumulating in fish from Michigan waters.

Program Components

The fish contaminant program consists of four components that, in combination, provide data necessary to achieve these objectives. These include:

  • Person holding a filet knife cleaning a filet

    Edible fish portion monitoring

  • 6 to 8 inch channel catfish are commonly used by EGLE in caged fish studies to assess contaminant spatial and temporal trends.

    Caged fish monitoring

  • Row of fish laying on metal table

    Native whole fish trend monitoring

  • Person working on a metal trap

    Passive sampler studies

Program Process

Fish contaminant monitoring locations are determined each year based on several factors including available budget, contaminant data collected by other programs (e.g. surface water PFAS monitoring), requests received from the Targeted Monitoring Request program, surveys from our partner agencies (e.g. Michigan Department of Natural Resources [MDNR]), and the Water Resources Division's 5-year rotating watershed monitoring strategy.

  • Fish in net hovering above water

    The fish are collected through a variety of methods including electrofishing, gill-netting, trap-netting, seining, and hook and line.

    Once collected, the fish are stored frozen until a large batch (200 to 300 fish) of samples can be processed and sent over to the MDHHS laboratory for contaminant analysis. The FCMP holds between 6 and 8 fish processing days each year.

    Fish tissues are analyzed for bioaccumulative contaminants of concern including mercury, PCBs, chlorinated pesticides (e.g. DDT/DDE/DDD), dioxins, furans, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Data are reviewed each year to determine whether there are additional new parameters of concern for which the fish should be analyzed.

  • Cover for guide showing bobber and hook for fishing

    A database containing all fish contaminant data is maintained by the EGLE. All fish contaminant data are summarized in an annual fish contaminant report produced by EGLE's Water Resources Division. These data and other FCMP information are available by contacting Brandon Armstrong at 517-256-1853 or ArmstrongB5@Michigan.gov.

    The FCMP data are used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to develop Eat Safe Fish Guides that are updated annually. Summaries of the data used by MDHHS for the Eat Safe Fish Guides are available via the Reports & Science button on Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish

Fish and Wildlife Contaminant Advisory Committee (FAWCAC)

FCMP staff serve as members of the Michigan's FAWCAC. FAWCAC is responsible for coordinating efforts to monitor contaminants in fish and wildlife and issue consumption advisories in Michigan.

  • EGLE logo

    EGLE

    Management of environmental protection programs intended to reduce or eliminate contaminant loads to the environment. Sampling includes fish and wildlife in the environment and caged organisms to measure uptake of contaminants.

  • MDARD Logo

    MDARD

    Assuring the safety of commercially sold or raised fish and wildlife. Sampling includes fish and wildlife in commerce or destined for commerce.

  • Department of Natural Resources Logo

    DNR

    Management of wildlife and commercial and recreational fisheries. Sampling includes fish and wildlife in the environment.

  • Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

    MDHHS

    Evaluation of fish and wildlife contaminant monitoring data from the human health perspective and preparation of fish and wildlife consumption advisories. Analyses include assessment of human exposure and risk from eating fish and wildlife containing contaminants.

Contact us

Dr. Brandon Armstrong, ArmstrongB5@Michigan.gov, 517-256-1853

You can use this link to share this page: Michigan.gov/FCMP.

Related Links and Reports

General FCMP

Edible Portion Monitoring

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Study Final Reports

Whole Fish Trend Monitoring

Caged Fish Studies (available upon request)

  • 1993 Saginaw River and Major Tributaries
  • 1997 Belle and Pine Rivers
  • 1997 St. Joseph River
  • 1997 Clinton River
  • 2002 Saginaw River Watershed
  • 2005 Lower Saginaw River
  • 2008 Manistique River
  • 2011 South Branch Shiawassee River
  • 2017 Pine, Tittabawassee, and Saginaw Rivers

Passive Sampler Studies

Others (available upon request)

  • 1999 Mercury concentrations in fish collected from Deer Lake, Nawakwa Lake, Greenwood Reservoir, and Carp Creek, Michigan
  • 2007 PCB Concentrations in walleye collected from Torch Lake (Houghton County) and Lake Superior
  • 1984 – 2011 Temporal trends in Deer Lake fish tissue mercury concentrations
  • 2012 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the St. Marys River Area of Concern
  • 2012 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the St. Clair River Area of Concern
  • 2013 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the River Raisin Area of Concern
  • 2013 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the Torch Lake Area of Concern
  • 2013 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the Lower Menominee River Area of Concern
  • 2013 PCB Concentrations in Fish from the St. Clair Shores Area of Lake St. Clair
  • 2013 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the Rouge River Area of Concern
  • 2014 Reconnaissance sampling of perfluorinated compounds in Michigan surface water and fish
  • 2014 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the St. Marys River Area of Concern
  • 2015 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the Clinton River Area of Concern
  • 2018 Status of Fish Contaminant Levels in the Torch Lake Area of Concern