Fish Consumption Guidance

Fish are an important part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. They provide a good source of protein and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish are rich in calcium and phosphorus and are a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.

Eating fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients keep our heart and brain healthy. Two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Our bodies don't produce these omega-3 fatty acids so we must get them through the food we eat. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in every kind of fish, but are especially high in fatty fish. Some good choices are salmon, trout, sardines, herring, canned mackerel, canned light tuna, and oysters.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

• Help maintain a healthy heart by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of sudden death, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes.
• Aid healthy brain function and fetal development of vision and nerves during pregnancy.
• May decrease the risk of depression, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and diabetes.
• May prevent inflammation and reduce the risk of arthritis.

Health experts recommend that fish be included as part of a healthy diet:

• 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• American Heart Association
  • Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Meat, Poultry, and Fish: Picking Healthy Proteins
• Mayo Clinic: Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart

For recipes and other information about eating fish, go to Choose Your Fish.

For more information on fishing in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s Fishing page.

• Fishing

Statewide Safe-Eating Guidelines are based on mercury and PCB levels measured in fish throughout Minnesota and on levels of mercury found in commercial fish. They also take into account findings of low levels of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in fish throughout Minnesota. Not all waters in Minnesota have been tested for contaminants in fish.

• Pregnant Women, Women Who Could Become Pregnant, and Children Under Age 15 (PDF)
• Men, Boys Age 15 and Over, and Women Not Planning to Become Pregnant (PDF)

Waterbody Specific Safe-Eating Guidelines provide advice for lakes and rivers where fish have been tested and contaminant levels in some fish species are higher. Follow the MDH Statewide Safe-Eating Guidelines, except for species listed in the Waterbody Specific Safe-Eating Guidelines.

Some lakes and rivers in the East Metro Area of the Twin Cities have advice to not eat fish due to high levels of PFOS in fish and/or water.

Lakes

• Pregnant Women, Women Who Could Become Pregnant, and Children under Age 15, Lakes (PDF)
• Men, Boys Age 15 and Over, and Women Not Planning to be Pregnant, Lakes (PDF)
• To search by lake name, use the Department of Natural Resources (DNR): LakeFinder

Rivers

• Pregnant Women, Women Who Could Become Pregnant, and Children under Age 15, Rivers (PDF)
• Men, Boys Age 15 and Over, and Women Not Planning to be Pregnant, Rivers (PDF)

Lake Superior

• Pregnant Women, Women Who Could Become Pregnant and Children under Age 15, Lake Superior (PDF)
• Men, Boys Age 15 and Over, and Women Not Planning to be Pregnant, Lake Superior (PDF)

When choosing which fish to eat, some people need to be more careful than others. It's important you make your fish choices based on who you are.

Young children (under 15 years old) and fetuses are more sensitive to mercury. Too much mercury can cause lasting problems with understanding and learning. However, studies show children benefit developmentally when moms eat fish low in mercury during pregnancy.

Video: New information for women to choose the best fish

How clean a lake looks is not a sign of how safe the fish are to eat

Mercury is found in most fish – both locally-caught and store-bought.

• How much mercury is in fish depends on:
  • Species. Some fish have more mercury than others because of what they eat and how long they live – Bass, Northern, and Walleye have higher levels than panfish.
  • Size. Smaller fish generally have less mercury than larger, older fish of the same species. Unlike people, fish do not get rid of mercury.
• Fish from lakes in northeastern Minnesota generally have more mercury than in southern and central Minnesota.
• Fish bought at a store or restaurant also contain mercury. Farm-raised fish, such as salmon, are low in mercury but can contain other contaminants that may be found in fish feed. The amount of contaminants is small enough that farm-raised salmon are still good to eat 2 times a week.

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) is found at low levels in fish throughout the state. Higher levels have been found in fish from some waters in the metro and Duluth areas.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highest in fatty fish such as Carp, Catfish, and Lake Trout from major rivers and Lake Superior.

See Contaminants and Minnesota Fish for more information.

A typical fish meal is made up of 1 serving of fish. MDH's Safe-Eating Guidelines give advice for the number of servings of fish to eat per week or month.

• One piece of sushi is about one ounce.
• A fast food fish sandwich is typically between four and five ounces of cooked fish.
• A serving of fish is based on the body weight of the person eating the fish. For example, ½ pound (or 8 ounces) of uncooked fish is one serving for a 150-pound person. Eight ounces of uncooked fish is equal to about 6 ounces of cooked fish.
• To adjust meal serving size for a heavier or lighter weight person, add or subtract 1 ounce of fish for every 20 pounds of body weight.

Monthly fish menu ideas

Note: Where the guidelines recommend one meal per week or month, you may prefer to have two smaller sized meals over that week or month.

Cooking fish demonstrations (videos)

Translation of Minnesota Statewide Safe-Eating Guidelines (Spanish, Hmong, and Vietnamese)

Fish Consumption Guidelines from the 2022 DNR Fishing Regulation booklet (PDF)

Spanish

	¿Come pescado a menudo?(PDF) English version: Eat Fish often (PDF)
	ELIJA SU PESCADO - RECOMENDACIONES PARA MUJERES Y NIÑOS (PDF) English version: Choose Your Fish – Recommendations for Women & Children (PDF)

Hmong

	Noj Ntses Heev?(PDF) English version: Eat Fish often (PDF)
	Xaiv kev noj qab nyob zoo, noj tej ntses uas muaj cov kua hlau nyaum tsawg (low mercury) (PDF) English version: Choose health, low mercury fish (PDF)

"Talk about Fish and Way of Eating Fish"
Produced by Foung Heu, Filmmaker
Narrated by John Ny Vang, Executive Director of the Capitol Sportsmen Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association

• Hmong Video: Talk about Fish and Way of Eating Fish
• Script in English for "Talk about Fish and Way of Eating Fish" (PDF)

Shorter segments of Hmong Video: "Talk about Fish and Way of Eating Fish"

• Advice for Eating Fish in MN
• Eat Fish - They're good for you!
• Health Benefits of Eating Fish
• Mercury in Fish so Wisely Choose Fish to Eat
• How Mercury Gets into Fish