Do Not Eat Fish From These SE MI Lakes, Rivers, Ponds: Officials Say

SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN — State officials updated their eating healthy fish guidelines Monday and kept numerous southeastern Michigan lakes, rivers and ponds under "do not eat advisories."

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released the 2022 regional Eat Safe Fish Guides, which helps people decipher what fish to eat from where to minimize exposure to chemicals.

One update in the guidelines includes a Do Not Eat advisory for bluegill and sunfish caught in the Lower Branch of the Rouge River and the Main Branch of the Rouge River from the Ford Estate Dam to the Detroit River, because officials found high levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate in the fish.

Officials also lifted a "do not eat advisory" from a specific stretch of the Huron River, where it crosses I-275 in Wayne County to the river mouth at Lake Erie, except for specific species:

• Bluegill and sunfish have a recommended eight MI Servings per month due to PFOS.
• Carp have a recommended ‘Limited’ category for fish less than 28” and a recommended ‘Do Not Eat’ category for fish greater than 28” due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins. Fish with a ‘Limited’ category should not be eaten by people under the age of 15, those who have health problems like cancer or diabetes, those who may have children in the next several years, those who are pregnant or those who are breastfeeding. People who do not fall under any of those categories are recommended to limit their consumption to one to two servings each year.
• Catfish have a recommended one MI Serving per month due to PCBs.
• Largemouth and smallmouth bass have a recommended four MI Servings per month due to PCBs and mercury.
• Rock bass still have a recommended ‘Do Not Eat’ advisory due to PFOS.
• For other fish species, refer to the statewide guidelines.

All fish from these southeastern Michigan rivers, lakes, and ponds are under Do Not Eat advisories:

• Huron River from where the river crosses N. Wixom Road in Oakland County to where the river crosses I-275.
• Norton Creek (Oakland County)
• Hubbell Pond also known as Mill Pond (Oakland County)
• Kent Lake (Oakland County)
• Ore Lake (Livingston County)
• Strawberry & Zukey Lakes (Livingston County)
• Gallagher Lake (Livingston County)
• Loon Lake (Livingston County)
• Whitewood Lakes (Livingston County)
• Base Line & Portage Lakes (Livingston/Washtenaw County line)
• Barton Pond (Washtenaw County)
• Geddes Pond (Washtenaw County)
• Argo Pond (Washtenaw County)
• Ford Lake (Washtenaw County)
• Belleville Lake (Wayne County)