10 hours ago
Michigan expands "do no eat" advisory for wild caught fish
The state of Michigan has nearly tripled the bodies of water that it warns residents not to eat fish from due to heightened levels of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals.
Testing of edible portions of fish found in rivers and lakes around the state revealed detectable levels of PFOS, a type of PFAS.
In the Huron River in Ann Arbor, PFOS sometimes presents as a white foam on the water's surface and is considered toxic for humans to ingest.
"You shouldn't eat any of the fish in the river with the contamination that's in it right now," said Mike Mouradian, education director for Ann Arbor Trout Unlimited.
In addition to residents relying on fish for food security, Mouradian said he's concerned international visitors to the city may not understand the warnings.
"We're working with the Huron River Watershed Council and the city to have signs in a variety of languages," he said. "It's a cultural thing. In Ann Arbor, we have people from all over the world visit us, and when they catch a fish, they eat it ... When I see people fishing and they've got a bucket, I usually talk to them about it."
Kevin Baker and his son come to Island Park to fish as a hobby.
"We have been fishing around in the Huron River a little bit, and we don't eat the fish here – we do it for sport," said Baker. "We are aware of some of the environmental pollution issues in the area and also the updated guidance."
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the 2025 Eat Safe Fish Guide was expanded due to new, more conservative guidelines when it comes to PFOS contamination.
"Science has been emerging with understanding of PFOS toxicity that it's more toxic than originally thought," said Marcus Wasilevich, MDHHS toxicology and assessment section manager. "We're also realizing that people in the United States, including residents of Michigan here, have a background exposure to PFOS. Everybody has PFOS already in their bloodstream, even if they don't eat fish. So, taking that into consideration as well as taking into consideration that PFOS is more toxic now than it was thought 10 years ago, our 2025 guides have more conservative consumption recommendations based on PFOS."
Wasilevich said out of the 11,000 bodies of water in the state, 600 have been tested for PFOS.
In Michigan, mercury continues to be the main contaminant of concern in wild-caught fish, followed by PFOS.
"If you look at the guides and do not find your types of fish, or your water body that has been tested, then follow the statewide guidelines that will be in place mostly due to mercury," said Wasilevich.
Visit the state's website to see the complete MDHHS 2025 Eat Safe Fish Guide.
