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  2. Choose Fish and Shellfish Wisely

Historical Perspective of Fish and Shellfish Consumption Advisory Guidance

Related Information

Building Fish and Shellfish Consumption Advisories

In the 1990s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed the four-volume Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories for state, local, regional and Tribal environmental health officials in response to the need for a standardized risk-based approach for developing fish consumption advisories across different jurisdictions.

Volume 1: Fish Sampling and Analysis, Third Edition provides information on sampling strategies for a contaminant monitoring program. The five-step process described in the Building Fish and Shellfish Consumption Advisory Programs includes and supersedes content from Volume 1.

Volume 2: Risk Assessment and Fish Consumption Limits, Third Edition (pdf) provides guidance on the development of appropriate meal sizes and frequency of meal consumption for the target analytes that bioaccumulate in fish tissues. Volume 3: Risk Management (pdf) provides an overview of a risk management framework for selecting and implementing various options for reducing health risks associated with the consumption of chemically contaminated fish and shellfish. When Analyzing Data and Calculating the Consumption Limits and Developing a Fish and/or Shellfish Advisory webpages are developed they will include and supersede Volumes 2 and 3.

Volume 4: Risk Communication was converted to an online format in 2020 as the initial step in updating the four volume set of fish consumption advisory documents. This volume is intended for state, territory and Tribal program managers who are developing and implementing risk communication materials for fish consumption advisories.

  • Develop Risk Communication Programs for Fish and Shellfish Consumption Advisories

Choose Fish and Shellfish Wisely

  • Should I Be Concerned about Eating Fish and Shellfish?
  • EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish
  • Eat Fish and Shellfish in a Healthy Way
  • How Do I Know if a Fish I Caught is Contaminated?
  • What the EPA Does to Protect You From Contaminated Fish and Shellfish
  • Technical Resources and Studies
  • Building Fish and Shellfish Advisory Programs
    • Designing a Fish and Shellfish Contaminant Monitoring Program
      • Integrated Approach Monitoring Strategy
      • Multi-phase Approach Monitoring Strategy
      • Sampling Sites
      • Target Species and Size Classes
      • Target Contaminants
      • Sampling Times and Frequency
      • Fish Sample Types
      • Shellfish Sample Types
      • Quality Assurance and Quality Control
      • Sample Analysis
    • In the Field - Collecting and Handling Samples
      • Sample Collection
      • Sample Handling
    • In the Lab - Processing and Analyzing Samples
      • Receiving Samples
      • Processing Samples
      • Analytical Methods
      • Quality Assurance and Quality Control
      • Data Verification, Reporting and Validation
    • Analyzing Data and Calculating the Consumption Limits
    • Developing a Fish and/or Shellfish Advisory
Contact Us about Fish and Shellfish Consumption
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on January 6, 2025
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