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Caution on Eating Local Caught Kansas Fish

Kansas Issues Fish Consumption Advisories for 2023

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) are issuing fish consumption advisories for 2023. The advisories identify types of fish or other aquatic animals that should be eaten in limited quantities or, in some cases, avoided altogether because of contamination. General advice and internet resources are provided to aid the public in making informed decisions regarding the benefits and the risks associated with eating locally caught fish from Kansas waters.

Definitions: 

Bottom-feeding fish: buffaloes, carps, catfishes, sturgeons and suckers.

Shellfish: mussels, clams and crayfish.

Serving size (skinless fish fillets before cooking):

Statewide Mercury Advisories for Fish:

Getting outside to catch fish and eating fish has many health benefits, but all fish contain some amount of mercury. Anyone who routinely eats fish or serves fish to their children should carefully consider the types and amounts they eat, including store-bought fish. Too much dietary mercury can harm the development of fetuses, nursing babies and growing children. Therefore, mercury-sensitive individuals (women who are pregnant, nursing, or may become pregnant, and children younger than 17 years old) should follow the guidelines presented below for eating fish caught in Kansas.

Fishing and Eating Guidelines:

 

Preferred Choice Fish Servings
Blue and Channel Catfish

Common Carp

Crappies

White Bass, White Perch, Wiper, Striped Bass

Walleye, Sauger, Saugeye

Bullhead Catfish

Drum

Sunfish (Bluegill, Green, Redear, etc.)

1 or 2

per week

 

Second Choice Fish Servings
Buffaloes (Black, Bigmouth, Smallmouth)

Flathead Catfish

Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted)

1 or 2

per month

Reduce the recommendations above if you tend to keep fish larger than about 20 inches to:

For specific questions or concerns about mercury in Kansas fish, please contact KDHE. For information about mercury in fish caught in other states, in store bought fish, and in other types seafood please visit the U.S. EPA and U.S. FDA websites.

Waterbody specific advisories for all consumers:

Kansas recommends restricting consumption of bottom-feeding fish and catfishes to 1 serving per week from the following locations because of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs):

Kansas recommends restricting consumption of bottom-feeding fish and catfishes to 1 serving per month from the following location because of PCBs:

Kansas recommends not eating specified fish or aquatic life from the following locations:

Waterbodies affected by Harmful Algae Blooms

To date, measured algal toxin levels in fish samples collected from waters affected by harmful algal blooms (HABs) suggest the fish are safe to eat.  However, please take the following precautions:

General advice for reducing exposure to chemicals in fish

Other information from KDHE, KDWPT, EPA, and the American Heart Association

To view the advisories online and for information about KDHE’s Fish Tissue Contaminant Monitoring Program please visit the website at http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1268.

For information about fishing in Kansas including licensing, regulations, fishing reports and fishing forecasts please visit the KDWPT fishing website http://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing.

For information about the health benefits vs. the risks of including fish in your diet please visit this American Heart Association website https://www.heart.org/en/news/2018/05/25/eating-fish-twice-a-week-reduces-heart-stroke-risk.

For technical information regarding the U.S. EPA risk assessment methods used to determine advisory consumption limits please visit http://www2.epa.gov/fish-tech.

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