By Trish Svoboda

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment along with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks recently issued the 2024 fish consumption advisories. The advisories list fish and aquatic species that should be consumed sparingly, or avoided altogether due to contamination.

A release notes that information and online resources are offered to assist the public in making well-informed decisions about the advantages and potential risks of consuming fish caught in Kansas waters.

While there are advantages of consuming locally caught fish, health officials caution that all fish contain trace amounts of mercury, which could pose a risk to pregnant women, nursing babies, and growing children.

KDHE offers guidelines for fishing and consumption:

· Eat smaller portions – a fillet about the size of your palm.

· Eat fish species with less mercury (see “Preferred Choice Fish” chart below).

· If you don’t know what type or size of fish you’ve eaten, wait at least one week before eating fish again.

· When fishing, keep fish shorter than your forearm (fingertips to elbow) or less than 20 inches, as regulations allow. You can see the full 2024 Kansas Fish Consumption Advisory here.