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Eat Fish Safely: Resources

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Fish Program provides outreach and educational material to community members and health professionals to help people eat fish safely.

For individuals and families

A Family Guide to Eating Fish, P-44031b(PDF)
A brochure about how to safely eat fish from Wisconsin waters and for fish bought in restaurants and stores.

Advice on Eating Fish for Women of Childbearing Age and Children, P-01232 (PDF)
A document with recommendations on how much and what types of fish women of childbearing age and children should eat.

How Can I Include Fish in My Diet?--Meal Planning Guide, P-01234 (PDF)
A month-by-month guide on how to safely include fish in your diet.

Recipe Suggestions for Preparing Fish, P-01233 (PDF)
Two healthy recipes on how to prepare salmon or white fish.

For health professionals

Fish Facts Workbook (PDF)
This workbook provides in-depth information and resources on how to advise patients and families about eating safe fish.

Screening Questions for Women of Childbearing Age P-01587 (PDF)
A one-page screener to ask women of childbearing age how much fish they currently eat to open a conversation about the risks and benefits of eating fish.

Great Lakes Fish Consumption protocols

The Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory Task Force was formally established in 1986. Task Force membership includes representation from each of the eight Great Lakes states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota). Additional participants have included the Canadian Province of Ontario, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Native American organizations. The Task Force was assigned with developing a uniform sport fish consumption advisory protocol that applies to all the Great Lakes. The protocol goals are to:

  1. Maintain the health benefit of eating fish from the Great Lakes
  2. Minimize the potential for toxic chemical exposure
  3. Use credible and understandable science, and
  4. Present the information in a manner that encourages compliance from the Great Lakes population.

September 1993: Protocol for a Uniform Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory (PDF)
This protocol was developed for preparing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-based fish advisories for the Great Lakes.

May 2007: Addendum: A Protocol for Mercury-based Fish Consumption Advice (PDF)
This document is an addendum to the 1993 “Protocol for a Uniform Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory” and covers the addition of mercury to the Protocol with focus on mercury-based advice for the Great Lakes population.

Last revised February 17, 2023