{"id":650,"date":"2021-09-22T11:49:41","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T15:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/dsr\/?page_id=650"},"modified":"2026-03-12T12:55:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T16:55:47","slug":"fish-advisories-studies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/dsr\/fish-advisories-studies\/","title":{"rendered":"Fish Advisories and Studies"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1107″ img_size=”full”][vc_raw_html]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjYXJvdXNlbC1jYXB0aW9uJTIwZC1tZC1ibG9jayUyMGQtc20tYmxvY2slMjIlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlM0NoMSUzRUZpc2glMjBTbWFydCUyMEVhdCUyMFNtYXJ0JTNDJTJGaDElM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlM0NoNCUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydy03NSUyMG14LWF1dG8lMjIlM0UlM0NlbSUzRUluZm9ybWF0aW9uJTIwb24lMjBmcmVzaHdhdGVyJTIwYW5kJTIwc2FsdHdhdGVyJTIwZmlzaCUyMGNvbnN1bXB0aW9uJTIwYWR2aXNvcmllcyUyQyUyMGZpc2glMjByZWxhdGVkJTIwcmVzZWFyY2glMjBzdHVkaWVzJTJDJTIwYW5kJTIwcmVsYXRlZCUyMGhlbHBmdWwlMjBsaW5rcyUzQyUyRmVtJTNFJTNDJTJGaDQlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1668098754029{border-top-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;border-top-color: #000000 !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #000000 !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;border-radius: 2px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

New Jersey Fish Consumption Advisories<\/a><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_tour][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-exclamation-triangle” add_icon=”true” title=”Statewide Advisories” tab_id=”statewide-advisories”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1669903702680{border-top-width: 2px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;border-left-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 1em !important;padding-right: 1em !important;padding-bottom: 1em !important;padding-left: 1em !important;border-left-color: #dd3333 !important;border-left-style: solid !important;border-right-color: #dd3333 !important;border-right-style: solid !important;border-top-color: #dd3333 !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #dd3333 !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;border-radius: 2px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

DO NOT EAT OR HARVEST BLUE CLAW CRABS FROM THE NEWARK BAY AREA<\/strong>
\n(including Newark Bay, Kill Van Kull, Arthur Kill, Hackensack River, and Passaic River)<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Statewide Estuarine and Marine Waters<\/strong>
\n(Applies to all coastal waters and includes the water way specific advisories)<\/em><\/h4>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_table vc_table_theme=”simple_purple” allow_html=”1″][align-left]Species,[align-left]General%20Population,[align-left]High%20Risk%20Population*|Striped%20Bass,One%20meal%20per%20month,Do%20not%20eat|American%20Eel,Four%20meals%20per%20year,Do%20not%20eat|Bluefish%20(%3E6lbs.%2F24%20in),Six%20meals%20per%20year,Do%20not%20eat|Bluefish%20(%3C6lbs.%2F24%20in),One%20meal%20per%20month,Do%20not%20eat|American%20Lobster,Do%20not%20eat%20the%20green%20gland%20(tomalley)**,Do%20not%20eat%20the%20green%20gland%20(tomalley)**[\/vc_table][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Statewide Freshwater<\/strong>
\n(Applies to all waters except Pinelands region and includes waterbody specific advisories)<\/em><\/h4>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_table vc_table_theme=”simple_blue” allow_html=”1″][align-left]Species,[align-left]General%20Population,[align-left]High%20Risk%20Population*|Trout%5E,One%20meal%20per%20week,One%20meal%20per%20week|Largemouth%20Bass,One%20meal%20per%20week,One%20meal%20per%20month|Smallmouth%20Bass,One%20meal%20per%20week,One%20meal%20per%20month|Chain%20Pickerel,One%20meal%20per%20week,One%20meal%20per%20month|Sunfish***,No%20restrictions,One%20meal%20per%20week|Brown%20Bullhead,No%20restrictions,One%20meal%20per%20month|Yellow%20Bullhead,No%20restrictions,One%20meal%20per%20month|Common%20Carp,One%20meal%20per%20month,Do%20not%20eat[\/vc_table][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Pinelands Region<\/strong>
\n(Applies to all Pinelands waters including waterbody specific advisories)<\/em><\/h4>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_table vc_table_theme=”simple_green”]Species,General%20Population,High%20Risk%20Population*|Largemouth%20Bass,One%20meal%20per%20month,Do%20not%20eat|Smallmouth%20Bass,One%20meal%20per%20week,One%20meal%20per%20month|Chain%20Pickerel,One%20meal%20per%20month,Do%20not%20eat|Sunfish***,No%20restrictions,One%20meal%20per%20month|Brown%20Bullhead,One%20meal%20per%20week,Do%20not%20eat|Yellow%20Bullhead,One%20meal%20per%20week,Do%20not%20eat|Common%20Carp,One%20meal%20per%20week,One%20meal%20per%20month[\/vc_table][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

For all freshwater fish without specific advisories, eat no more than<\/h4>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_table vc_table_theme=”simple”][align-left]General%20Population,[align-left]High%20Risk%20Population*|[align-left]One%20meal%20per%20week,[align-left]One%20meal%20per%20month[\/vc_table][vc_toggle title=”Footnotes”]*High-Risk Individuals include infants, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of childbearing age.<\/p>\n

**Do not eat the hepatopancreas, discard cooking liquid<\/p>\n

***Sunfish includes bluegill, pumpkinseed, and redbreast sunfish species.<\/p>\n

^ Brown, Brook, Rainbow, & Hybrid Species<\/p>\n

One meal is defined as an eight-ounce serving<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Eat only the fillet portions of the fish. Use proper trimming techniques to remove fat, and cooking methods that allow juices to drain from the fish (e.g., baking, broiling, frying, grilling, and steaming).<\/p>\n

No harvest<\/strong> means no taking or attempting to take any blue crabs from these waters.[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-question-circle” add_icon=”true” title=”FAQs” tab_id=”fish-consumption-advisories-faqs”][vc_toggle title=”What does an advisory level mean for eating fish?” style=”simple”]These advisories are based on an estimated 1 in 10,000 risk of cancer during your lifetime from eating fish at the advisory level. This means that one more cancer may occur in 10,000 people eating fish at the advisory level for a lifetime.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”Why do I need to know about a fishing advisory?” style=”simple”]By using these advisories, you have the necessary information to make an informed choice on the number of meals of fish to consume. You can reduce your risk further by eating less than the advisory meal frequency, but, this needs to be balanced with the health benefits of eating fish.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”How much fish under an advisory can I consume safely?” style=”simple”]The limits that follow each species assume that no other contaminated fish are being eaten. If you eat more than one species of fish listed in the advisory, the total consumption of fish should not exceed the recommended frequency as a guideline for consumption. The best approach is to use the lowest recommended frequency as a guideline for consumption.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”I do not see my fishing location under advisory. Does that mean it\u2019s safe?” style=”simple”]If your specific fishing location is not mentioned within the advisories, this does not mean the fish are free of contamination. Not all New Jersey waters or fish species have been tested, and not all fish species were found in all locations, or in some cases available data were insufficient to list a species for a specific water body.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”I think there is a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) in the water body where I caught my fish. Can I eat the fish?” style=”simple”]If you are concerned about consuming fish from a water body that is experiencing a suspected Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB), please refer to the\u00a0guidance<\/a>\u00a0from the NJDEP Division of Water Monitoring and Standards.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”How are these fish consumption advisories created?” style=”simple” css=””]Fish are tested for contaminants through various sampling programs and research projects. Depending on the contaminant sampled, different advisory levels have been established. For more information, please see Methods for the Development of Fish Consumption Advisories in the State of New Jersey<\/a> <\/i>.[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-microscope” add_icon=”true” title=”Research” tab_id=”research”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

<\/i> Fish Related Research Projects and Publications<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n