ST PAUL, Minn. — State health officials are urging that people in vulnerable groups avoid eating fish from two metro bodies of water that may be contaminated with chemicals.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) issued "consumption guidance" Monday for fish caught on a stretch of the Mississippi River between Ford Dam in St. Paul and Hastings, and Lake Rebecca near Hastings, due to new data reflecting pollutants found in fish from those waters. Those pollutants include PFAS, a family of human-made chemicals do not break down in the environment and build up in the human body. MHD shares that exposure to some PFAS is associated with certain types of cancer.
People who should avoid eating fish from these locations include children under age 15, people who are (or could become) pregnant and those who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
“The updated fish consumption guidance for Lake Rebecca and Pool 2 applies only to higher risk populations at this time,” MDH Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff said. “It’s important to note that with PFAS, the risk is based on long-term exposure, not the kind of short-term exposure you might have from a few meals.”
Huff notes that while there are risks associated with eating certain amounts of fish from certain lakes and waterways, most fish are a source of low-fat protein omega-3 fatty acids thought to promote heart health.
In 2023 the Minnesota Legislature passed and Governor Tim Walz signed a comprehensive ban on PFAS in products Minnesotans use. It bans all non-essential use of PFAS and requires manufacturers selling products in Minnesota to disclose if the chemical is present.
For more on fish consumption and safety, check out the Fish Consumption Guidance page on the MDH website.
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