This pamphlet will give you information that will help your

family avoid chemicals in fish and eat fish safely.

Fish fromConnecticuts waters are a healthy, low-cost source of protein.
Unfortunately, some fish take up chemicals such as mercury and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals can build up in your body and increase health
risks. The developing fetus and young children are most sensitive. Women who eat
fish containing these chemicals before or during pregnancy or nursing may have
children who are slow to develop and learn. Long termexposure to PCBs may
increase cancer risk.

What Does The Fish Consumption Advisory Say?
The advisory tells you how often you can safely eat fish fromConnecticuts waters
and froma store or restaurant. In many cases, separate advice is given for the High
Risk and Low Risk Groups.
You are in the High Risk Group if you are a pregnant woman, a woman
planning pregnancy within a year, anursing mother, or a child under six.
If you do not fit into the High Risk Group, you are in theLow Risk Group.

Advice is given for three different types of fish consumption:

1. Statewide FRESHWATER Fish Advisory: Most freshwater fish in Connecticut
contain enough mercury to cause some limit to consumption. The statewide
freshwater advice is that:
High Risk Group: eat no more than 1 meal per month
Low Risk Group: eat no more than 1 meal per week

2. Advisories for SPECIFIC WATERBODIES: Certain waterbodies contain fish
with higher levels of contaminants. These waterbodies include the Housatonic
River, parts of the Quinnipiac River, certain lakes, and certain species fromLong
Island Sound. The large chart in the center of this pamphlet provides details on
eating fish safely fromthese waterbodies.

3. Advice for Fish Purchased from the MARKET: Most fish fromthe market are
healthy to eat and contain important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids.
However, there are some fish that contain high levels of mercury or PCBs and so
should be eaten less or not at all. This pamphlet points out which fish are healthy to
eat and which ones are not safe to eat (small chart on page 3).

Are Trout Safe To Eat?

Most trout fromConnecticut's rivers are safe to eat because they usually have little
contamination and are routinely re-stocked. However, there are limits on trout from
certain waterbodies due to PCBs and on large trout fromlakes due to mercury (see
large chart in center).
Page 1

If I Catch It,
Can I Eat It?
A Guide to Eating Fish Safely
2013 Connecticut Fish Consumption Advisory




























www.ct.gov/dph/fish
1-877-458-FISH (3474)

How Do These Contaminants Get Into Fish?

Mercury and PCBs can build up in fish to levels that are thousands of times higher
than in the water. These contaminants enter the water from:

Chemical spills that happened in the past. Even though these spills have been
stopped, it will take years for the mercury or PCB levels in the fish to drop to
safe levels.

Mercury in the air. Mercury travels long distances fromwhere it is released.
Much of it comes fromair pollution outside of Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) is
working to improve water quality in Connecticut and is limiting the amount of
mercury which can be released into the air.


What Else Can I Do To Eat Fish Safely?

PCBs are mostly in the fatty portions of fish. It is very important to remove skin and
other fatty parts. Cook fish on a rack (broil) so that fat can drip away fromthe flesh.
Remove fatty portions before cooking











Remove and do not eat the organs, head, skin and the dark fatty tissue
along the back bone, lateral lines and belly.


Mercury is in the edible (fillet) portion of fish. Therefore, you cannot lower your
exposure to mercury by cooking or cleaning the fish. Large fish usually have the
highest levels of PCBs and mercury. If you have a choice, eat smaller fish of any
species. In addition, certain smaller species generally have lower levels of
contamination ( perch, small trout, sunfish).



Page 2

Eat 2 Meals a Week Eat 1 Meal a
Week
Avoid
Haddock Perch Salmon (farm-raised) Swordfish
Cod Tilapia Tuna Steak Shark
Salmon (wild) Herring Halibut King Mackerel
Atlantic Mackerel Pollock Red Snapper Striped Bass
Flounder Light tuna (canned) White Tuna (canned) Tilefish
Shellfish:
oysters, shrimp, clams, scallops, lobster

Sole Trout Catfish (farm-raised) Bluefish
Sardines & Smelt
People in the Low Risk Group can safely eat higher amounts of market
seafood. For example, swordfish or shark - once per month; tuna steak or
halibut - twice per week.
Page 3
What About Fish from Markets and Restaurants?
Many fish fromthe market or restaurant are low in contaminants. Some of these fish
are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient oil fromfish that improves brain
development and helps prevent heart disease. However, some fish fromthe market
can contain high levels of certain contaminants, especially mercury.

In general, people in the High Risk Group can eat up to 2 fish meals a week fromthe
market or at restaurants. Certain fish are especially low in contaminants and can be
eaten more often. The following are specific tips for those in the High Risk Group
to choose healthy fish fromthe store:
Swordfish and Shark: these contain high levels of mercury and should not be eaten.
Canned tuna: Choose "light" tuna because it has less mercury than "white" tuna.
Lobster and other shellfish are generally low in chemical contaminants. The
tomalley portion of lobster (the green gland) can be high in contaminants and
should not be eaten. This applies to lobster fromLong Island Sound and elsewhere.
Fish from the Market and Restaurant

The Chart below provides general guidance for Women & Children on which
fish to choose. Fish with hearts are either especially high in omega-3 fatty
acids and/or very low in contaminants and can be eaten more than twice a week.
Sushi: High risk groups should avoid Kajiki (contains swordfish). They should
limit eating Ahi, Magoro, and Toro (contains tuna) to 1 meal a month. Both
swordfish and tuna contain high levels of mercury.
Waterbody Fish Species
High Risk Group
a
Low Risk Group
b

Contaminant
Dodge Pond
Lake McDonough
Silver Lake
Wyassup Lake
Largemouth Bass,
Smallmouth Bass,
Pickerel
Do not eat One meal per month Mercury
Quinnipiac River
above Gorge
(Meriden)

Q Gorge to Hanover
Pond (Meriden)
All Species



All Species
Do not eat



One meal per month
Do not eat



One meal per month
PCBs



PCBs
Eight Mile River
(Southington)
All Species Do not eat Do not eat PCBs
Connecticut River Carp
Catfish
Do not eat
Do not eat
One meal per 2 months
One meal per month
PCBs
PCBs
Versailles, Papermill
Ponds & attached
Little River (Sprague)
All Species Do not eat Do not eat Mercury,
PCBs
Konkapot River
(North Canaan)
White Suckers Do not eat One meal per month Mercury
Brewster Pond
(Stratford)
Catfish & Bullheads Do not eat Do not eat Chlordane
Union Pond
(Manchester)
Carp, Catfish, Bass Do not eat Do not eat Chlordane
Special Advice for Other CT Fresh Waterbodies
Connecticut Safe Fish Consumption Guide
2013 Advisory for Eating Fish From Connecticut Waterbodies

Footnotes from Table:

a. High Risk Group includes pregnant
women, women planning pregnancy
within a year, nursing women, and
children under age 6.

The High Risk Group should eat no
more than one fish meal per month of
most freshwater fish fromlocal
waters.
b TheLow Risk Group should limit
eating most freshwater fish to once a
week.
c. Most trout are not part of the advisory
and are safe to eat. However, the high
risk group should eat no more than one
meal of large trout (over 15) per
month and should eat no trout from
the Housatonic River.
d. Snappers, which are bluefish under
13, are not on the advisory because
they have very low contamination.

WHERE CAN I GET
MORE INFORMATION?
More specific fact sheets can be
obtained by calling 1-877-458-FISH
(3474), or by going to the DPH WEB
SITE: www.ct.gov/dph/fish

Health Questions?
Call CT DPH toll-free at:
1-877-458-FISH (3474)

Questions about fishing in
Connecticut?
Call CT DEEP at 860-424-3474.
www.ct.gov/dep/fishing
Waterbody Fish Species
High Risk Group
a
Low Risk Group
b

Contaminant
Trout
c

No Limits on
Consumption

No Limits on
Consumption
- -
All other freshwater
fish
One meal per month One meal per week Mercury

All fresh
lakes, ponds, rivers
& streams
STATEWIDE FRESHWATER FISH ADVICE
Special Advice for the Housatonic River Area
Waterbody Fish Species
High Risk Group
a
Low Risk Group
b

Contaminant
Housatonic River
above Lake
Lillinonah


Trout, Catfish, Eels,
Carp, Northern Pike

Bass, White Perch
Bullheads


Panfish

(yellow perch,
sunfish, etc)


Do not eat

Do not eat

One meal per month


One meal per month

Do not eat

One meal per 2 months

One meal per month


One meal per week
PCBs


PCBs

PCBs

PCBs


Lakes on Housatonic
River:
(Lillinonah, Zoar,
Housatonic)
Catfish, Eels, Carp,
Northern Pike
Trout
Bass, White Perch,
Bullheads

Panfish

(yellow perch,
sunfish, etc.)
Do not eat




One meal per month


One meal per month
Do not eat



One meal per month


One meal per week
PCBs



PCBs


PCBs
Furnace Brook
(Cornwall)

Trout

One meal per month

One meal per month

PCBs
Blackberry River
below Blast Furnace
(North Canaan)

Smallmouth Bass

One meal per month

One meal per month

PCBs
Waterbody Fish Species
High Risk Group
a
Low Risk Group
b

Contaminant
Long Island Sound
and connected rivers
Striped Bass
Bluefish over 25"
Bluefish 13- 25 "
d
Weakfish
Do not eat
Do not eat

One meal per month
One meal per month
One meal per month
One meal per month

One meal per month
One meal per month
PCBs
PCBs

PCBs
PCBs
Mill River, Fairfield
[excluding Southport
Harbor]
Blue Crab Do not eat Do not eat Lead
SPECIAL ADVICE FOR LONG ISLAND SOUND

This fact sheet is funded in part by funds fromthe
ComprehensiveEnvironmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act trust fund through a
cooperativeagreement with theAgency for Toxic
Substances & DiseaseRegistry, & theEnvironmental
Public Health Tracking Program, Public Health Service,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
REMEMBER

Follow this advisory to make
sure the fish you choose to
eat are safe for your family.

Every fresh waterbody has some
consumption limits as indicated
at the top of the chart.

Long Island Sound: Most fish are
safe to eat except for listed
restrictions on striped bass,
bluefish, and weakfish.

Be aware of advice for fish from
the market or restaurant. See
market advice on page 3.

Your exposure to PCBs in fish
can be reduced by trimming away
fat and cooking fish on a rack so
that fat drips away.