The Minnesota Department of Health is advising anglers and others to limit, or completely avoid, eating fish from a stretch of the Mississippi River between the southern Twin Cities metro area and Wabasha.

“For most people, fish are part of a nutritious, well-balanced diet, because they provide a good source of protein and are rich in essential vitamins and minerals,” said Myra Kunas, MDH assistant commissioner, in a press release. “But the Minnesota Department of Health encourages people to limit their intake of fish from certain waterbodies to avoid potential negative health impacts.”

The guidance comes as MDH found pollutants — including mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and PFAS (“forever chemicals”) — in fish tissue from that section of the river.

The guidance applies to the Lock & Dam No. 2 Pool near St. Paul Park, the No. 3 Pool near Etter in Goodhue County and the No. 4 Pool near Wabasha, “including all of the Minnesota lakes and backwaters,” the MDH press release said.

The guidance states that children under 15, people who are or may become pregnant and those who are breastfeeding or plan to do so should not eat fish from these areas.

For people who don’t plan to become pregnant and are over 15, MDH says to limit the consumption of fish in the affected area to one serving per month.

“MDH, DNR and MPCA work together to review scientific information about PFAS and other contaminants in waterbodies and fish and their potential impact on human health in order to provide Minnesotans with the information they need to make informed choices for the health and safety of their family,” the release says.

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