Is it safe to eat fish out of the St. Johns River?

Johns River near the Kerr- McGee hazardous waste site are safe to eat. Pesticides, polychlorin- ated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury were found in every fish sample ana- lyzed. The Department recom- mends a “Do Not Eat Fish” advisory be issued within the area of the St.



Whether it is safe to eat fish from the St. Johns River in Florida depends entirely on the species and location, as the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) maintains ongoing "consumption advisories" due to mercury and other contaminants. As of 2026, the general population is advised to limit meals of many popular species like Largemouth Bass and Channel Catfish to one meal per week (or even less for children and women of child-bearing age) due to bioaccumulated mercury levels. Some urban tributaries, particularly near Jacksonville, are heavily polluted with E. coli and industrial chemicals, making fish caught there strictly "catch and release." However, "healthy" populations of species like Redfish and Spotted Seatrout in the cleaner, brackish lower basin are generally safe to eat within the FDOH limits. It is crucial to consult the current Florida Fish Consumption Guidebook for the specific "Planning Unit" where you are fishing. To reduce risk, the FDOH suggests removing the head, guts, and skin, and avoiding pan-frying or deep-frying, which can trap chemicals in the fish's fat.

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Freshwater fish locally caught in the United States contain high levels of dangerous “forever chemicals” that stick around in the environment and can cause health problems in humans, a new study finds.

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Johns River's color, sediments and velocity. The St. Johns River is labeled a black-water river because of its deep tea color. The dark water is not from pollution, but rather from the tannic acid that leaches out of the abundance of dried leaves that fall into the swamps and tributaries that flow into the river.

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He says there are more prevalent parasites, dangerous bacteria, and toxins in saltwater fish, despite the higher prevalence of eating those species raw. Heavy metals may be of greater concern in freshwater, and cooking doesn't affect that contamination.

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Only the bull shark typically found offshore of Jacksonville can migrate into the local river and swim any distance upstream for very long. Recently a small bull shark was caught near Mandarin. There have been periodic reports of other sharks, usually bulls, being captured in the St. Johns River.

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