Is it safe to eat fish from the Mississippi river?
Many popular kinds of fish including bass, bream, crappie, freshwater drum, and small catfish (less that22 inches in length) are SAFE to eat. Farm-raised catfish are SAFE to eat.
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Second, even if you don't see warning signs, call your local or state health or environmental protection department and ask for their advice. Ask them if there are any advisories on the kinds or sizes of fish that may be eaten from the waters where you plan to fish.
Stretches of the Mississippi River within the park corridor exceed water quality standards for mercury, bacteria, sediment, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl), and nutrients. Unfortunately, these impairments can make the water unsuitable for fishing, swimming, and drinking.
Bull sharks are euryhaline and can thrive in both salt and fresh water. They are known to travel far up rivers, and have been known to travel up the Mississippi River as far as Alton, Illinois, about 1,100 kilometres (700 mi) from the ocean, but few freshwater interactions with humans have been recorded.