Going Fishing?

Many Indiana families enjoy going fishing. Before you go, be aware that mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination is widespread in Indiana fish. These chemicals can cause serious health problems, especially to the nervous system.

If you are planning to eat some of your catch, check out the Indiana Fish Consumption Advisory before you fish or ask your local bait shop. They should have a copy.  In the Advisory, look up the location where you plan to fish and you will find a list of the fish found there and their contamination rating - groups 1 through 5 from least to most contaminated.  If a fish is not listed, you can assume it is a group 2. 

If children under the age of 15 are going to eat the meal, they should only eat fish designated as Group 1 or 2 and no carp over 15” in length. The same rules apply for women who are breastfeeding or pregnant or who PLAN to have children.  Men over the age of 15 should limit how much they eat of group 3 to one serving per month and group 4 to one serving every other month.  Group 5 should not be consumed by anyone.

Trimming the fat and skin off your catch before you cook it will decrease your exposure to PCBs.  There are no cooking techniques that will reduce mercury in fish.