The Indiana State Department of Health has issued the 2006 Indiana Fish Consumption Advisory. The publication is available annually through cooperative efforts between the Indiana State Department of Health, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

In addition to fish consumption advisories for Indiana waters, the Fish Consumption Advisory includes information on the health benefits and risks of eating fish, as well as guidance on the proper cleaning and preparation of sport caught and commercial fish.

"We have tried to include everything a person might want to know about eating sport-caught fish in Indiana," said LaNetta Alexander, environmental epidemiologist at the Indiana State Department of Health.

"The advisory is designed to provide people with guidelines on how much and how often they should eat the fish," Alexander said. "By following the advisory and eating fish in moderation, you help avoid the risk of accumulating contaminants in your body over time and gain the benefits of a protein source that's low in saturated fats."

"The advisory is not meant to discourage fishing," said Alexander. "We want Hoosiers to use the advisory to maximize the benefits of eating Indiana fish."

The fish advisories are based on fish tissue sampled by the Department of Environmental Management, which gathers data on fish during its annual watershed assessment sampling. Mercury and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are the major contaminants that can be present in the tissues of Indiana fish, although pesticides and heavy metals can also be present.

"The Fish Consumption Advisory is a tool everyone who eats fish caught from Indiana waters should familiarize themselves with," said Jim Stahl, Indiana Department of Environmental Management. "By putting this critical information in the hands of Hoosier fisherman and fish consumers, these agencies are helping them make important decisions about their health and the health of their families."

It is important to note that a fish advisory on a body of water does not necessarily mean that the water is unsafe for other recreational activities. If the water posed a hazard to human health, there would be a separate advisory issued for recreational activities like swimming or skiing.

Requests for a free copy of the 2003 Indiana Fish Consumption Advisory and questions about eating sport-caught fish can be directed to the Indiana State Department of Health, at 317-351-7190, extension 262.

Information from the 2006 Fish Consumption Advisory is available on the Web by body of water at: www.statehealth.in.gov (click on Data and Statistics). Aversion that breaks the data down by county will be available online soon.