Freshwater Fish Safe Eating Guidelines

For more information visit the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention website: maine.gov/dhhs/fishandgamesafety.

Mercury in Fish Guidelines

Warning: Mercury in Maine freshwater fish may harm the babies of pregnant and nursing mothers, and young children.

It's hard to believe that fish that looks, smells, and tastes fine may not be safe to eat. But the truth is that fish in Maine lakes, ponds, and rivers have mercury in them. Other states have this problem too. Mercury in the air settles into the waters. It then builds up in fish. For this reason, older fish have higher levels of mercury than younger fish. Fish (like pickerel and bass) that eat other fish have the highest mercury levels.

Safe Eating Guidelines: Mercury

Who	Guidelines
Pregnant and nursing women, women who may get pregnant, and children under age 8	DO NOT EAT any freshwater fish from Maine's inland waters. Except, for brook trout and landlocked salmon, 1 meal per month is safe.
All other adults and children older than 8	CAN EAT 2 freshwater fish meals per month. For brook trout and landlocked salmon, the limit is 1 meal per week.

Small amounts of mercury can harm a brain starting to form or grow. That is why unborn and nursing babies, and young children are most at risk. Too much mercury can affect behavior and learning. Mercury can harm older children and adults, but it takes larger amounts. It may cause numbness in hands and feet or changes in vision. The Safe Eating Guidelines identify limits to protect everyone.

PFAS in Fish Guidelines

Fish tested in several locations found levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) above Maine CDC's recommended levels for regular consumption. Exposure to certain PFAS chemicals has been associated with:

• changes in liver and kidney function,
• changes in cholesterol levels,
• decreased immune response to vaccines in children,
• complications during pregnancy, and
• increased risk of kidney cancer and possibly testicular cancer.

Limit or eliminate consumption of all fish or certain fish species from the waterbodies listed in the table below.

Safe Eating Guidelines: PFAS

Area	Waterbody	Guidelines
Albion	Fifteenmile Stream from the Yorktown Brook inlet at the Hussey Road to Route 137/202 in Albion	No more than 2 meals per month of brook trout.
China	All of China Lake	No more than 1 meal per month of any fish species.
Fairfield	Fish Brook, including any tributaries, from the headwaters to the confluence with Messalonskee Stream	Do not eat any fish from these waters.
Fairfield	Police Athletic League (PAL) Ponds	Do not eat any fish from these waters.
Fairfield	Kennebec River from the Carrabassett Stream inlet just north of Route 23 to the Lockwood Dam in Waterville	No more than 9 meals per year of smallmouth bass.
Limestone	All of Durepo Pond and Limestone Stream from Durepo to the Canadian border	No more than 4 meals per year of brook trout and do not eat smallmouth bass from these waters.
Sanford/Alfred	The Mousam River from below the Number One Pond Dam to Outlet Dam on Estes Lake, including all of Estes Lake	No more than 3 meals per year of any fish species.
Sanford	All of Number One Pond	No more than 1 meal per month of largemouth bass.
Thorndike/Unity	Halfmoon Stream from the Shikles Road in Thorndike to the Berry Road in Unity	No more than 2 meals per month of brook trout.
Unity	Unity Pond	No more than 6 meals per year of black crappie and no more than 12 meals per year for all other fish species.
Waterville/Oakland	Messalonskee Stream from the Rice Rips Dam in Oakland to the Automatic Dam in Waterville	No more than 3 fish meals per year of any fish species.
Westbrook/Falmouth	The Presumpscot River from Saccarappa Falls in Westbrook to Presumpscot Falls in Falmouth	No more than 4 fish meals per year of any fish species.

Additional Fish Guidelines: PCBS, DIOXINS, AND DDT

• Fish caught in some Maine waters have high levels of PCBs, Dioxins or DDT in them.
• These chemicals can cause cancer and other health effects.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends additional fish consumption limits on the waters listed below. Remember to check the mercury guidelines. If the water you are fishing is listed below, check the mercury guideline above and follow the most limiting guidelines.

Safe Eating Guidelines: PCBS, DIOXINS, AND DDT

Area	Guidelines
Androscoggin River Gilead to Merrymeeting Bay	6–12 fish meals a year
Dennys River Meddybemps Lake to Dead Stream	1–2 fish meals a month
Green Pond, Chapman Pit, & Greenlaw Brook (Limestone)	Do not eat any fish from these waters
Little Madawaska River & tributaries (Madawaska Dam to Grimes Mill Road)	Do not eat any fish from these waters
Kennebec River Augusta to the Chops	Do not eat any fish from these waters
Kennebec River from Shawmut Dam in Fairfield to Augusta	5 trout meals a year, 1–2 bass meals a month
Kennebec River from Madison to Fairfield	1–2 fish meals a month
Meduxnekeag River	2 fish meals a month
North Branch Presque Isle River	2 fish meals a month
Penobscot River below Lincoln	1–2 fish meals a month
Prestile Stream	1 fish meal a month
Red Brook in Scarborough	6 fish meals a year
Salmon Falls River below Berwick	6–12 fish meals a year
Sebasticook River (East Branch, West Branch & Main Stem) (Corinna/Hartland to Winslow)	2 fish meals a month