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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.

This toolkit is for local and tribal public health departments to educate their communities on how to safely eat fish caught in Wisconsin. It includes website text, social media posts, videos, and other resources to share with your community.

Download the toolkit (Word)

These education materials may be printed and handed out or linked from a website. There are some suggested uses provided, but local and Tribal health departments and local organizations are encouraged to use them in ways that best fit their community and people they serve.

Your Guide to Eating Fish Safely, P-03622 (electronic two-pager)
Use: Link to it on a website, include in newsletters, hand out at events, etc. Available in:

Your Guide to Eating Fish Safely, P-03622 (brochure)
Use: Provide in lobby, put in WIC packet, include in newborn letters, include in brochure holders on boat landings, take to bait shops, include with tick kits, hand out at Rural Safety Days, county fairs, farmers markets, events, etc. Available in:

Advice for Eating Wisconsin Fish, P-03622 (half page)
Use: Affix to bulletin boards at boat landings, provide in lobby, put in WIC packet, include in newborn letters, include in brochure holders on boat landings, take to bait shops, hand out at Rural Safety Days, county fairs, farmers markets, events, etc. Available in:

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advice for Eating Commercial Fish (fact sheet)
Use: Affix to bulletin boards at boat landings, provide in lobby, put in WIC packet, include in newborn letters, include in brochure holders on boat landings, take to bait shops, hand out at Rural Safety Days, county fairs, farmers markets, events, etc. Available in:

10 Tips to Cook Fish Safely, P-03622 (bookmark)
Use: Provide in lobby, partner with the local library to distribute, put in WIC packets, include in newborn letters, include in Little Free Library (if health department or municipality sponsors one), etc. Available in:

Harmful Algal Blooms and Fish Consumption, P-03622 (electronic two-pager)
Use: Link to it on a website, include in newsletters, hand out at events, etc. Available in:

Are you Getting the Maximum Benefit From the Fish you Eat? P-01587 (PDF) (electronic one-pager)
This screener asks people who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are nursing, how much fish they currently eat to open a conversation about the risks and benefits of eating fish.

*Karen (pronounced kuh-REHN) is a language spoke in lower Myanmar (Burma) and on the borders of Thailand.

Try these healthy recipes to prepare fish, safely!

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.

These four educational videos explain:

  • Contaminants in fish
  • Advisories for Wisconsin fish
  • Advisories for commercial fish, and
  • How to safely prepare and cook fish.

Each video is available in multiple languages on the DHS YouTube channel:

*Karen (pronounced kuh-REHN) is a language spoke in lower Myanmar (Burma) and on the borders of Thailand.

You can find social media posts to use with these graphics in the toolkit, above. To use the images shown below, right-click on the image, and then download it.

Eat Fish Safely 1
Eat Fish Safely 2
Eat Fish Safely 3
Eat Fish Safely 4
Eat Fish Safely 8
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Eat Fish Safely 7

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

The Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory Task Force

Established in 1986, The Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory 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:

  • Maintain the health benefit of eating fish from the Great Lakes
  • Minimize the potential for toxic chemical exposure
  • Use credible and understandable science, and
  • 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.

Commercial fish advisories

These Environmental Protection Agency and FDA websites provide advice on eating commercial fish. A chart is included to help you choose which fish to eat and how often to them.

Wisconsin fish advisories

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website provides information on contaminants that can be found in fish along with frequently asked questions. It also has tools to help you when you are fishing, including: 1) an up-to-date guide on the Choose Wisely publication that has Wisconsin’s current fish advisories, including interstate waterways, 2) general state-wide safe-eating guidelines, and 3) an online query tool to find advice for the waterbody that you’ll be fishing.

Wisconsin fishing license and regulations

These DNR webpages provide information related to fishing in Wisconsin, including fishing regulations, getting a license, and recognizing Wisconsin fish species.

Glossary

 
Last revised September 26, 2024