State Department of Health Experts Available at the Dutchess County Fair to Discuss Advice for Eating the Fish You Catch

State Offers Advice on Eating Fish from the Hudson River, Wappingers Lake and More

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 19, 2024) – The New York State Department of Health will be at the Dutchess County Fair all week, August 20 – 25, to talk with anglers and families about eating the fish you catch from New York State's freshwaters, including the Hudson River. With changes to the statewide advice this year, now every freshwater has new, fish specific advice.

Department experts will provide one-on-one advice for anglers based on where you fish, what you catch and who you are. Fair goers can get materials, coloring books, Hudson River posters, and even play the Department's Fish Advisory "Go Fish" game.

"We want people to fish and eat fish. They are an important part of a healthy diet, however, some fish contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to your health," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Anyone who likes to eat the fish they or a loved one catches from waters in Dutchess County or other parts of the state, should stop by the Department of Health booth at the Dutchess County Fair this week and speak with our experts for tips on eating healthy."

It is not recommended that children or people who can become pregnant eat fish from the Hudson River in Dutchess County, however there are several species of fish suitable for up to one meal a month for the general population including white perch, striped bass, small and largemouth bass, carp and more. The primary contaminant of concern for the Hudson River in Dutchess County is PCBs.

For Wappingers Lake, everyone can eat up to one meal a month of yellow perch if the fish is greater than 10 inches. The general population can eat even more. For all other waters in Dutchess County, anglers are advised to follow the Statewide Advice.

Each year, the Department updates its health advice due to concerns about contaminants in fish like mercury, PCBs, and PFAS. The goal is to help people make healthier choices about which fish to eat and which to avoid. People who become pregnant and eat contaminated fish may be at a higher risk of having children with developmental or learning delays. Children who eat a lot of contaminated fish may also have potential for negative effects on their development and long-term health. In contrast, older adults may face fewer health risks from these chemicals, so the advice encourages them to enjoy eating these sport-caught fish more frequently.

The Department's health advice is based on a risk management approach and uses fish contamination data collected by DEC's statewide fish monitoring program . Each year, DEC performs several thousand chemical analyses on more than 1,000 fish samples and provides the results to DOH for use in setting consumption advisories.

Visit health.ny.gov/fish for specific advice and more info.

Additional information about how the Department sets fish advisories is available here.