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MDCH Urges Use of Michigan Fish Advisory Guide

April 18, 2011

LANSING - As people grab their fishing gear and head to the water this spring, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) would like to remind anglers that while most fish caught in Michigan's lakes and rivers are healthy to eat, some have too many chemicals in them to be considered safe to eat by everyone. That's why it's important Michigan's anglers use the Michigan Fish Advisory guide to choose fish that are lower in chemicals and safer for the whole family to eat.

The Michigan Fish Advisory is not a regulatory guide. The Fish Advisory lists many of Michigan's lakes and rivers and the species of fish that have been tested for contaminants in those bodies of water. Based on the amount of chemicals measured in a fish filet, the MDCH issues recommendations regarding whether people should eat certain fish and how often.

On each page, the advisory's recommendations are broken down into two categories. One is for the general population, which includes males 15 years old and older and women over the age of 45. The second is for women and children, which includes females ages 15 to 45 and children under the age of 15.

Young children and fetuses are at greatest risk from the mercury, dioxin, and PCBs found in some types of fish. These chemicals have been connected to liver damage, cancer, birth defects, and could harm brain development if eaten in large quantities or over a long period of time. Michigan families with young children and women ages 15-45 who are pregnant or may some day become pregnant need to pay special attention to the Michigan Fish Advisory. It is also important for men and women over 45 who eat locally-caught fish on a regular basis.

You can get a free copy of the Michigan Fish Advisory and other great information, including the Hooked on Fish Cookbook: Recipes from the Great Lakes State, at http://www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish or by calling the Michigan Department of Community Health - Division of Environmental Health at (800) 648-6942.