|
Fisheries and Wildlife
Public Health Advisory
Public Health Advisory
The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) urges limited consumption of Anacostia and Potomac river fish."
PCBs and other chemical contaminants have continued to be found in certain fish species caught in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and their tributaries, including Rock Creek, within the boundaries of the District of Columbia. Because of these findings, DDOE advises the general public to limit consumption of fish from all DC waters, as follows:
-
Do not eat: Catfish, carp, or eel.
-
May eat: One-half pound per month of largemouth bass, or one-half pound per week of sunfish or other fish.
-
Choose to eat: Younger and smaller fish of legal size.
-
The practice of catch and release is encouraged.
Always skin the fish, trim away fat, and cook fish to drain away fat because chemical contaminants tend to concentrate in the fat of the fish.
These recommendations do not apply to fish sold in fish markets, grocery stores, and restaurants, since commercial fishing is prohibited in DC waters; thus fish from these venues will not be from the Potomac nor Anacostia Rivers.
DDOE also notes that other species of fish found in the District's waters not identified above did not have elevated levels of PCBs or pesticides."
Reporting a Fish Kill
Anglers and the general public are asked to report a fish kill. If you see 50 or more dead fish floating on the surface of the water, please contact the DC Fisheries and Wildlife Division at (202) 535-2260 with the following information: exact location of the floating fish, date, time, and the extent of the fish kill. |
