For the most part, Florida's freshwater fishes are
considered safe to eat.
Fish consumption advisories are issued by the Florida
Department of Health (DOH) in cooperation with the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) to assist anglers in making
informed choices on selecting fish to eat from Florida waters.
The most common fish consumption advisory in
Florida is for mercury; however, waterbody-specific health
advisories have been issued for pesticides, dioxins, and saxitoxins. Visit www.doh.state.fl.us/floridafishadvice to view
all advisories and the most recent updates. The DOH can also be
contacted through regular mail or by telephone:
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Community Environmental Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin# A08
Tallahassee, FL, 32399-1712
850-245-4299
Consumption advice about commercially caught fish
sold in supermarkets and restaurants can be found in the joint Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) online publication, Joint Federal Advisory for Mercury in
Fish. Advisories from other states and tribal agencies are also
available online. Joint Federal Advisory for Mercury in Fish:
www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html
In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency
has recommended guidelines for
handling lead, such as in lead sinkers.
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