Fish Consumption

Upcoming Fishing Clinics

Join us for a fishing clinic designed for beginners. Participants will learn basics in knot tying, casting, baiting, fish handling, fish identification, safety, and information about fishing in the Milwaukee River Basin! Registration is not required, and walk-ups are welcomed. The clinics are free to join, but a fishing license from the DNR is required for most events. A first-time license is $5 and can be purchased here.

Community Fishing Clinic with Milwaukee Riverkeeper & Waterway Restoration Partnership
Date: Tuesday, October 12
Time: 10:00AM-12:000PM
Location: Kletzsch Park (6560 N Milwaukee River Pkwy, Glendale, WI 53209)

Fishing Clinics are supported in part by funding from the Sport Fish Restoration Act of Wildlife Restoration Act and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Healthy Fish for a Healthy Life

Guidelines and Advice for Safely Consuming Fish

Catching and eating fish is a Wisconsin tradition! High in protein and vitamins, eating fish can be a fantastic addition to your diet. If you catch the fish you eat, it’s important to carefully consider which fish and how often you eat them. The long history of industrial pollution on Milwaukee’s rivers has caused toxic pollutants to build up not just in our river system, but in the abundance of wildlife that relies on our waters, like fish. However, by learning more information about fishing in Wisconsin and knowing the guidelines, you can ensure you are staying healthy and consuming fish safely.

The most common pollutants in our waters are mercury, PCBs, and PFAs. Once in the water, these chemicals are incorporated into the marine food chain and accumulate in organisms, especially in larger fish at the top of the food chain. While you can’t taste or see these chemicals, their presence in the fat and muscle of the fish can have dangerous effects on the humans and animals that eat them.

 

Pollutants

Mercury

Mercury is a naturally-occurring chemical element that is found in the earth’s crust, including deposits of coal. While mercury can be released into the air through natural processes, the majority of mercury is released as a result of human processes, such as the burning of coal, oil, and wood. Once airborne, mercury can settle in bodies of water or on land, where it can then be washed into our waters. Consuming too much mercury has many negative health effects on humans.

  • Loss of peripheral vision
  • “Pins and needles” feelings, usually in the hands, feet, and around the mouth
  • Lack of coordination of movements
  • Impairment of speech, hearing, walking
  • Muscle weakness
  • Birth defects

More information on mercury exposure can be found here.

PCBs

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are human-made compounds that were used in both the home and manufacturing processes from the 1930s to the 1970s. PCBs are extremely slow to break down, leading to them still being found in our environment today, even though they are not commonly used anymore. They remain in sediments near industries that made or used PCBs, which includes many waters in the Milwaukee River Basin. Consumption of PCBs can cause the following health effects in humans:

  • Birth and developmental issues
  • Thyroid problems
  • Liver, stomach, and intestinal complications
  • Additional adverse effects of PCBs may involve the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genetic, immune, musculoskeletal, and neurological systems.

More information on PCBs can be found here.

PFAS

PFAs (poly-fluoroalkyl acids) are a group of chemicals used in products in the home and manufacturing processes. They are found in fire extinguishing foam, many household products, personal care products, and food packaging, as well as a variety of manufacturing and chemical production facilities. Products containing PFAs can either be spilled directly into our waters or washed into them. Research is currently in progress to better understand the effects of PFAs. However, existing research shows that exposure to these chemicals can cause the following health effects:

  • Decreased fertility & increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
  • Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
  • Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
  • Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.
  • Interference with the body’s natural hormones.
  • Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.

Visit our page for more information on PFAs.

3 C’s OF SAFE FISH CONSUMPTION

In order to avoid the health effects associated with these common pollutants found in fish, follow the 3 C’s: choose, clean, and cook.

CHOOSE to catch and consume smaller fish; they are usually a safer choice. Try to avoid eating fatty fish, bottom-feeding fish, and large predatory fish as they are likely to have more of the harmful chemicals listed above. It is important to know which fish you are choosing as there are different suggestions for how frequently it is safe to consume different species. To find specific information on which fish are safe to consume and how often, visit Wisconsin DNR’s Fish Consumption Advisory Query and enter the area you are interested in learning more about. 

CLEAN the fish you are consuming. Be sure to remove the fat, skin, and organs of the fish as some of the chemicals are stored there. PCBs are often found in the fat and organs of fish, so removing them reduces the amount of pollutants you are consuming. Note that PFAs and mercury are stored in the filet and cannot be removed through proper trimming.

COOK the fish! Broiling the fish or grilling them on a rack allows for more fat to drip away from your fish. Additionally, by poking holes in the skin or removing the skin, fat in the filet can drip away, reducing the chemicals found in the filet. If you fry your fish, be sure not to reuse the oil.

Below are the recommended guidelines for how often you should consume certain types of fish from waterways around the Milwaukee River Basin.

ADDITIONAL LINKS AND RESOURCES

Eat Fish Safely: Recommendations | Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Choose Wisely: A Health Guide for Eating Fish in Wisconsin 2020-2023 | WI DNR

FREE Equipment Borrow Locations:

Urban Ecology Center
Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th Street Milwaukee, WI 53208

UWM School of Freshwater Sciences Great Lakes Research Facility
600 E Greenfield Ave Milwaukee, WI 53204