Fish Contaminant Monitoring
Fish are able to accumulate contaminants and are thus a
key indicator for determining water quality. Contaminant levels in fish
are monitored through a cooperative effort between the Illinois Departments
of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Nuclear Safety, Public Health, and
the Illinois EPA. This effort is commonly referred to as the "Fish Contaminant
Monitoring Program (FCMP)." Fish samples are collected from rivers and
streams, inland lakes, and Lake Michigan. Pollutants causing advisories
in Illinois fish include pesticides and other compounds such as chlordane
(a commonly used termiticide/insecticide now banned from use) and PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenols commonly used in electrical transformers),
as well as the heavy metal mercury. Since bans have been imposed for these
compounds (except mercury) during the mid and late 70s, there has been
a considerable reduction in the concentrations of these pollutants found
in fish. The Agency expects this trend to continue into the future as
a result of decreases in the levels of the contaminants remaining in the
environment.
The FCMP utilized U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S.FDA.)
Action Levels (which apply to commercially-harvested fish in interstate
commerce) as criteria values for issuing fish consumption advisories.
However, with the consumption advisory for Lake Michigan for 1997, the
FCMP began the process of converting the program from U.S.FDA. Action
Levels to Health Protection Values developed in accord with the Protocol
for a Uniform Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory. These Health
Protection Values, developed specifically for sport-caught fish, reflect
more recent health effects data and are generally more stringent than
U.S.FDA. action levels.
As a result of this important change (more stringent criteria)
in 1999, it is possible that the number of surface waters in which fish
consumption advisories are issued may increase over the next few years.
It is important to note that these anticipated new or updated advisories
will not always signal newly-discovered contamination or increased levels
of contamination. In most cases, this will simply be a result of FCMP
changes rather than worsening levels of contamination in fish.
Advisory information for specific waterbodies is available
in the Illinois Fishing Information Booklet published by the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources.
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