PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), in coordination with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), will start issuing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) Fish Consumption Advisories this summer through the Arizona Green Light Fisheries & Fish Consumption Advisory program. ADEQ will be providing updated consumption guidance based on recent analysis of data that indicate elevated levels of PFOS in fish tissue in certain locations.
PFOS Fish Consumption Advisories are based on guidance from the Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories. PFOS is part of a larger class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). ADEQ worked with ADHS to review the scientific thresholds and ensure the guidance reflects current public health recommendations.
“ADEQ is committed to providing transparent, science-based information that communities can use to protect their health,” said Randy Matas, Acting Water Quality Division Director. “By adding PFOS to our existing advisory system, we are giving anglers clear guidance.”
PFAS fish tissue monitoring was made possible by Governor Katie Hobbs providing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The funding allowed ADEQ to include PFOS in the existing suite of contaminants that the agency already samples for at many of Arizona’s most-visited lakes, rivers, and streams.
Fish consumption advisories address potential long-term exposure from eating fish and do not address recreational water use. According to the ADHS, PFAS absorption through skin is minimal, so activities like swimming, wading, and catch-and-release fishing pose little risk. However, watch kids carefully if you think they may swallow water while swimming.
As part of the ARPA funded PFAS monitoring project, ADEQ continues to test fish tissue from more than 25 lakes, focusing on the state’s most recreated sites. Fish tissue samples are tested for 40 types of PFAS in addition to mercury already included in the Arizona Green Light Fisheries & Fish Consumption Advisory program. At the conclusion of the project, ADEQ will release a comprehensive report and upload the fish tissue data to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s water quality database, where it will be publicly available.
Community members are encouraged to check the Green Light Fisheries & Fish Consumption Advisories before they fish and use the information to guide whether and how often they consume certain fish species.
Background & Additional Resources
Fishing is an important part of life for many Arizonans and supports recreation, tourism, and local economies. Fish are high in protein and provide important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids. However, some contaminants can accumulate in fish over time, which is why ADEQ monitors fish tissue and provides consumption guidance to help people make informed choices. In addition to following the advice in Fish Consumption Advisories, you can reduce your exposure to all contaminants, not just PFAS and mercury, by following these steps:
- Choose to consume fish with lower bioaccumulation factors, such as trout | See More >
- Eat younger fish, which are smaller and typically have lower levels of contaminants since they have not lived in the water as long as larger, older fish.
- Remove organs and trim away the skin where contaminants often concentrate.
- Eat fish from different locations.
- Practice catch-and-release.
- Prioritize consuming stocked fish, as their controlled diet and shorter time in the wild lead to lower bioaccumulation.
PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals with fire-retardant properties manufactured and used by various industries since the 1940s. PFAS have been used in many industrial processes as well as to make products such as stain and water-resistant carpets and clothing, food packaging, and firefighting foam. Often called forever chemicals, PFAS are hard to break down and stick around in the environment and our bodies for a very long time. While scientific research into how PFAS affects human health is ongoing, exposure to PFAS has been linked to serious health effects, including certain cancers, immune system disruption, and developmental issues.
