The Potomac River and its tributaries are home to a variety of fish, providing anglers with the opportunity to enjoy their catch. However, certain contaminants, such as PCBs, mercury, and PFAS/PFOS, are found in the local fish, which can pose risks to the safety of those consuming the fish. Exposure to these substances at certain levels can have adverse health effects.
At PRKN, we are leading the charge for cleaner waters and holding polluters accountable. In our efforts to protect public health, we have consolidated various fish consumption advisories into a single resource to help anglers identify safe fish to eat, how much is safe to consume, and which fish to avoid entirely: “insert link to the Potomac and Shenandoah flyer”. It is recommended to follow the guidance presented on this advisory to reduce your total exposure to fish contaminants.
All information is courtesy of the Virginia Department of Health, West Virginia Department of Health, District Department of Energy and Environment, and Maryland Department of Environment.
Potomac River
Shenandoah River
This guide was prepared by Aldous Cabarron, an Environmental Intern at PRKN and a Political Science student at the University of Alberta, with a passion for advocacy, research, and public policy. The Spanish translation was provided by Natalya Rivera-Maldonado, a PRKN volunteer who studied Linguistics and Human Communication at the University of Puerto Rico and legal studies at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, with a focus on sustainability consulting. Special thanks to Bianca Tung, a Communications Intern and water researcher for PRKN, who volunteered her time to update this year’s advisories.
