What are the health risks from eating contaminated fish?
Long-lasting contaminants, such as PCBs, DDT and mercury, build up in your body over time. Eating contaminated fish can result in the buildup of these chemicals in your body, so it is important to keep your exposure as low as possible. It may take months or years of regularly eating contaminated fish or game to build up amounts of contaminants in your body to pose a health concern. Health problems that may result from the contaminants found in fish range from small changes in health that are hard to detect to birth defects and cancer. Mothers who eat highly contaminated fish before becoming pregnant may have children whom are slower to develop and learn. Women beyond their childbearing years and adults face fewer health risks from contaminants than children do. People in this group should follow their local or national advisory to reduce their total exposure to contaminants. For more information about how to contact the various state and the District of Columbia agencies click here.
