SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued its annual update of advisories related to the consumption of sport fish caught in Illinois waterways. The advisories are based on routine testing conducted by the Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program.
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IDPH maintains an interactive Fish Advisory Map that includes consumption advisories for more than 100 publicly accessible bodies of water across the state. The advisories detail how frequently certain types of fish from various waterways can be eaten without posing a health risk. While there is no known immediate health hazard from eating contaminated fish from any Illinois water body, there are concerns about effects of long-term exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and methylmercury in fish. More information can be found at Fish Advisories (illinois.gov).
“Fishing in Illinois is a terrific recreational activity that often leads to delicious and nutritious meals,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “To make sure those catches are the safest possible, please visit IDPH’s Fish Advisory Map to get the most up to date information on Illinois’s consumption advisories.”
Under this year’s advisories:
- Five Illinois bodies of water have been added to the list: Duck Creek Lake, Schuy-Rush Lake, Rock Run Rookery, Waukegan South Harbor, and Waverly Lake.
- Advisories for six bodies of water have been updated. The majority of updates were associated with mercury and continued PFAS testing, which was incorporated into statewide monitoring in 2023. Those bodies of water are: Cedar Lake, Chaminwood Lake, Dongola Lake, Dutchman Lake, Illinois River, and Wolf Lake and Indian Creek.
- Advisories were relaxed in four water bodies: Big Muddy River, Lake Bracken, Monee Reservoir, and Randolph County Lake.
Additional details on the specific changes can be found at this link.
In addition to this year’s site-specific updates, a statewide methylmercury advisory remains in place for all Illinois waters. The advisory cautions women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant, and children less than 15 years of age to eat no more than one meal per week of predatory fish (e.g., bass, walleye, salmon).
