Enjoy Great Lakes fish safely. Some fish found in Michigan's rivers, streams, and areas of the Great Lakes have high amounts of chemical contamination. PCBs, dioxins, or mercury can accumulate in the fat and flesh of fish. As a result, eating some types of fish too often can cause health proglrms.

Eating fish from the Great Lakes is generally safe, but it requires careful adherence to state and provincial consumption advisories due to persistent bioaccumulative toxins like PCBs, dioxins, and mercury. In 2026, health departments in Michigan, Ontario, and Wisconsin suggest that while fish are an excellent source of protein, certain species and sizes pose higher risks. For example, larger, older predatory fish like Lake Trout and Walleye tend to have higher concentrations of contaminants compared to smaller Yellow Perch or Panfish. Children and individuals who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant are advised to be much more restrictive, often limited to one meal per month or avoiding certain species entirely. The "Eat Safe Fish" guidelines recommend filleting fish to remove fatty tissue where many toxins aggregate and using cooking methods like grilling or broiling that allow juices to drain. While water quality in the Great Lakes has improved significantly over the decades, these legacy pollutants remain in the sediment and food chain, making it vital to check the specific "Waterbody Guide" for the exact lake and location where the fish was caught.