The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and Coeur d’Alene Tribe, in coordination with the Idaho Fish Consumption Advisory Program, have updated the fish consumption advisory for water bodies in the Coeur d’Alene Basin because recent testing showed high levels of mercury in some species of fish. The department and tribe recognize the health benefits of eating fish and are providing this advisory to encourage the safe consumption of fish.
Fish from the Coeur d’Alene Basin were tested for mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead. High mercury levels were found in some fish species, including bass, bullhead, northern pike, panfish, and kokanee. Mercury levels were similar to other advisories issued in Idaho. Consuming high levels of mercury can harm the brain and nervous system, especially in children.
This updated advisory provides location and fish-specific recommendations for three groups of people: adults, pregnant women, which includes women planning to become pregnant and nursing mothers, and children under the age of 6. Full details of the advisory are in the Coeur d’Alene Basin Fish Tissue Analysis and Consumption Advisory Report.
“We want to encourage people to safely eat fish,” said Dr. Morgan Willming, DHW toxicologist. “Children and pregnant women are at the highest risk of the health effects of mercury found in some fish. People should not experience harmful health effects by eating up to the recommended meal amounts per month.”
Recommendations for safe fish consumption
- Consume smaller, younger fish (within tribal and state legal limits) and those lower on the food chain, such as trout. These fish tend to be less contaminated.
- Trim fat and remove organs and skin before cooking fish to reduce exposure to contaminants.
- Some store-bought fish such as shark, swordfish, and tuna, have higher levels of mercury than fish from the Coeur d’Alene Basin.
- Pregnant or nursing women, women planning to become pregnant, and children should choose fish that are low in contaminants.
- For Idaho’s complete Fish Consumption Advisory and guidance on eating fish, visit fish advisory page.
| Species Group | Sample type | location | CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (MEALS PRE MONTH) GENERAL ADULT POPULATION (8 OZ MEAL) |
CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (MEALS PRE MONTH) pregnant womenᵃ (8 OZ MEAL) |
CONSUMPTION ADVISORY (MEALS PRE MONTH) children (4 OZ MEAL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bASSᶜ | Fillet | Northernᵇ | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| BASSᶜ | Fillet | Central | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| bassᶜ | Fillet | Southern | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Bullheadᵈ | Gutted Whole Fish | Northernᵇ | 20 | 4 | 3 |
| bullheadᵈ | Gutted Whole Fish | Central | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| bullheadᵈ | Gutted Whole Fish | Southern | 33 | 13 | 8 |
| bullheadᵈ | Fillet | Northernᵇ | 69 | 24 | 14 |
| bullheadᵈ | Fillet | Central | 14 | 13 | 7 |
| bullheadᵈ | Fillet | Southern | 61 | 15 | 9 |
| Kokanee | Gutted Whole Fish | Wholelakeᵇ | 13 | 11 | 6 |
| kokanee | Fillet | Wholelakeᵇ | 20 | 10 | 6 |
| Northern pike | Fillet | Wholelakeᵇ | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Panfishᵉ | Fillet | Wholelakeᵇ | 11 | 9 | 5 |
a. Pregnant women, those planning to be pregnant, and nursing mothers
b. Northern section of Coeur d’Alene Lake includes the Spokane River above the Post Falls Dam.
c. Bass include largemouth and smallmouth
d. Bullhead advisory was not updated from 2003.
e. Panfish include bluegill, crappie, perch
| species | sample type | location | consumption advisory (meals per month) General Adult Population (8 oz meal) |
consumption advisory (meals per month) pregnant womanᵃ (8 oz meal) |
consumption advisory (meals per month) children (4 oz meal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bassᵇ | Fillet | Coeur d’Alene River and Chain Lakes | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| bullhead | Fillet | Coeur d’Alene River and Chain Lakes | 12 | 11 | 6 |
| northern pike | Fillet | Coeur d’Alene River and Chain Lakes | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| panfishᶜ | Fillet | Coeur d’Alene River and Chain Lakes | 7 | 6 | 3 |
a. Pregnant women, those planning to be pregnant, and nursing mothers
b. Bass include largemouth and smallmouth
c. Panfish include bluegill, crappie, perch