Revised On: Nov. 8, 2023 - 4:47 p.m.

As a lean, low-calorie source of protein, fish are an important part of a healthy diet. However, it may not be healthy to eat some fish because their tissue contains contaminants that can be harmful if eaten in large quantities over a lifetime.

To protect the health of everyone who enjoys eating fish caught in Arizona waters, ADEQ tests filets of sampled fish for mercury and other pollutants of concern to recommend healthy amounts of fish species to catch and eat. ADEQ works in collaboration with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to collect fish from popular Arizona streams and lakes for testing.

• Fish that have been tested and found to be low in pollutants of concern, like mercury, are designated Green Light Fisheries and may be consumed without limits per standard dietary guidelines | View >
• When tests show a fish species has a contaminant level higher than a health standard, ADEQ issues a Fish Consumption Advisory that identifies the contaminant of concern and provides guidance for which fish to eat and how much.
  

Arizona Green Light Fishery and Fish Consumption Advisory interactive eMap | View >

AZGFD List of Fish Consumption Advisories for Arizona Waters | View >

Mercury in Fish

The most common contaminant in fish tissue in the Unites States and Arizona is mercury, a toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative pollutant. Mercury is both a public health and environmental concern because it directly affects the nervous system, harming people and wildlife exposed to certain levels.

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