PFOS-based fish consumption advisories issued for Hat Rapids Flowage, Moen Chain

The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with the Department of Health Services (DHS), has released an online publication with updated guidelines for safe fish consumption. The 2024-2026 Choose Wisely booklet, released Tuesday, includes new advisories for Wisconsin waterbodies that have either elevated or decreased levels of contaminants, the agency explained in a press release.

The booklet, available at https://widnr.widen.net/s/s6mkcq6tmr/pub_fh_824_choosewisely, includes a PFOS-based advisory for the Hat Rapids Flowage on the Wisconsin River and new PFOS-based consumption advice for all species in the Moen Chain of Lakes, both in Oneida County.

“Fish are full of important nutrients like omega-3s and are a great source of lean protein, however, they may also contain pollutants from their environment and the food they consume that can cause health risks for humans,” the release states. “To address this, DNR fisheries staff routinely sample fish from areas with suspected pollution or contamination as well as from heavily fished areas. Based on the levels of contaminants found, like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), experts are able to determine the amount of fish that is safe to consume over a person’s lifetime to avoid negative health impacts.”

“We test for contaminants in fish from a number of locations each year and use those new results, along with past testing, to update the advice for those newly tested waters,” added Sean Strom, DNR environmental toxicologist. “It’s important for anglers who frequently eat fish to be aware of advisory updates."

PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonate) are one of many per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 

“PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of fire-fighting foam,” according to the DNR. “These contaminants have made their way into the environment in various ways, including spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants and certain types of firefighting foam. PFOS can be found in water bodies that are located near known or probable sources of PFAS contamination. Some of the health risks associated with PFAS include developmental impairments in children, links to higher risks of cancer, harm to the immune and reproductive systems, increased cholesterol levels and altered hormone regulation and thyroid hormones.”

The DNR encourages the public to follow the safe-eating guidelines outlined in the Choose Wisely booklet to reduce the risk of exposure to unwanted contaminants.

“When you follow Wisconsin’s fish consumption advice, you are still able to enjoy the many health benefits from eating fish while limiting your contact with contaminants that can build up in them,” said Dr. Sheryl Bedno, DHS Chief Medical Officer for Environmental and Occupational Health.

In addition to the PFOS advisories, the booklet also includes advisories for Oneida and Vilas County related to mercury contamination. The booklet does not contain any advisories for water bodies in Vilas or Oneida County related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

According to the booklet, “the Great Lakes and rivers with heavy industrial use are more likely to have PCB-contaminated fish than inland lakes because industries associated with past PCB use are often located on major rivers and Great Lakes tributaries.”

Waterbody-specific consumption advice is also available to the public through the DNR’s online query tool available at https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/fishconsumptionadvisoryquery/.

The following advice was generated when the Moen Lake Chain in Stella (including Moen, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth lakes) was selected:

• Women up to age 50 (child bearing age) and children (under age 15) may safely eat one meal per month of “all other species.” 

Musky and walleye larger than 19” are listed as “do not eat.”

• All men (15 and older) and older women (50 and older) may safely eat one meal per month of all species including musky and walleye larger than 19”.

For the Hat Rapids Flowage (above the Hat Rapids Dam) the online tool offers the following advice:

•  Women up to age 50 (child bearing age) and children (under age 15) may safely eat one meal per week of bluegill, bullheads, crappies, inland trout, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow perch and one meal per month of catfish, pike, walleye, all other species and sizes. 

• Muskies are listed as “do not eat.”    

• All men (15 and older) and older women (50 and older) may safely eat bullheads, crappies and inland trout with no restrictions. The same population group is advised to consume no more than one meal per week of bluegill, catfish, pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow perch, all other species and sizes. All men, and women over 50, are advised to limit consumption of muskies taken from the Hat Rapids Flowage to one meal per month. The online query tool also offers specific advice for the following bodies of water in Oneida County: Currie Lake, Emma Lake, Franklin Lake, Hemlock Lake, Hodstradt Lake, Julia Lake, Long Lake, McGrath Lake, Sugar Camp Lake, the Three Lakes chain, Virgin Lake, Whitefish Lake, the Willow Flowage and Willow Lake, 

For more information about safe fish consumption, visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/consumption.