Introduction--Comparative Dietary Risk: Balance the Risk and Benefits of Fish Consumption

Toxic chemicals from point sources such as industrial or municipal discharges, and from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff, have contaminated some surface waters and their sediments across the United States (U.S. EPA, 1992a,b; Schmitt and Brumbaugh, 1990; Schmitt et al., 1990). In addition, naturally occurring chemicals such as mercury also can contaminate waters and sediments. Many of these pollutants concentrate in fish tissues by accumulating in fat or binding to muscle. These contaminants found in fish may pose health risks to people eating the fish. Those eating higher than average amounts of fish, such as sport and subsistence anglers, are at a potential greater risk from eating contaminated fish than the general population. In an effort to protect public health, state, local, and federal agencies and tribes issue fish consumption advisories, when necessary, that usually recommend limits on the number of fish meals that can be safely consumed within a specified time period (U.S. EPA, 1997b; Reinert et al., 1996; Dourson and Clark, 1990). These advisories are often issued for certain species of fish from specific bodies of water, to address local contamination.