Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grants

In 2010, the Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories began work on a grant to support enhanced fish consumption advisory programs in the Great Lakes basin. The project, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), includes collaborative work by all member-states of the Consortium, and projects in partnership with Cornell and Clarkson Universities. Project activities were completed in 2016. The project had three main objectives:

Objective 1: Improve the public’s understanding of risks and benefits of consuming fish by effectively communicating fish advisory information.

Objective 2: Improve fish monitoring by producing comparable data basin-wide, and filling data gaps for non-routine contaminants of concern and nutrients in fish fillets.

Objective 3: Evaluate Risks and Benefits of Consuming Fish.

Completed Reports

• Assessment of the Great Lakes States' Fish Consumption Advisory Programs (PDF)
• Factors Affecting Fish Consumption among Licensed Anglers Living in the Great Lakes Region (PDF)
• Factors Influencing Fish Consumption by Key Audiences in the Great Lakes Region (PDF)
• Factors Affecting Fish Consumption among New Mothers Living in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (PDF)
• Fish Consumption Advisory Interpretation by Key Audiences in the Great Lakes Region (PDF)
• What We Know about Fish Consumption Advisories: Insights from Experts and the Literature (PDF)

Publications

Niederdeppe J, Connelly N, Lauber T, Knuth B. Using theory to identify beliefs associated with intentions to follow fish consumption advisories among anglers living in the Great Lakes region. Risk Analysis: An International Journal, 35 + (2015) 1996-2008.

Lauber T, Connelly N, Niederdeppe J, Knuth B.  Collaborative management and public trust responsibilities: A help or a hindrance?  Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 19 + (2014) 458-468.

Connelly N, Lauber T, Niederdeppe J, Knuth B. How can more women of childbearing age be encouraged to follow fish consumption recommendations? Environmental Research, 135 + (2014) 88-94.

Williams M, Murphy E, McCarty H, Snyder B, Schranke C, McCann P, Crimmins B.  Variation in the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA in fillets of fish from the Great Lakes region. Journal of Great Lakes Research, (2017)

Ginsberg GL, Toal BF, McCann PJ.  Updated Risk/Benefit Analysis of Fish Consumption Effects on Neurodevelopment: Implications for Setting Advisories

EPA Assistance ID GL-00E01161, GLRI 2012

This grant was completed June 2017.

Fish are Important for Superior Health (FISH) Project

The Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, Grand Portage Health Service, North Shore Health, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Trust Lands and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), partnered in the FISH Project. The project goals were to reduce mercury exposure in women in the area and pilot an in-clinic screening for high mercury exposure. Nearly 500 women from Cook County, Grand Portage, and the surrounding area participated in the FISH Project.

• FISH Project Promotion Video (10 minutes, 36 seconds)

• FISH Project Technical Report (PDF)
  • Appendix
    • A: FISH Project Protocol and Procedures Manual (PDF)
    • B: Quality Assurance Project Plan (Contact us for a copy)
    • C: Training Health Care Providers about the Risks and Benefits of Eating Fish: Evaluation and Recommendations (PDF)
    • D: Choose Your Fish Brochure: North Shore Version (PDF) and Choose Your Fish Brochure: Grand Portage Version (PDF)
    • E: FISH Project Promotion Summary (PDF)
    • F: FISH Sample Disposal Documentation (PDF)
    • G: FISH Project Summary Results for Screening Questions about Fish Consumption (PDF) and FISH Project Results Summary for Detailed Questions about Fish Consumption (PDF)
    • H: Report about the Fish are Important for Superior Health (FISH) Project Community Events (PDF)
    • I: FISH Project - Follow-up Evaluation Summary (PDF)

Quantitative Assessment of Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption

• Risk Benefit Analysis of Great Lakes Fish for Cardiovascular Outcomes Report, July 2016 (PDF)
• Risk Benefit Analysis of Great Lakes Fish for Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Report, July 2016 (PDF)

EPA Assistance ID GL-00E01283, GLRI 2013

The Minnesota Department of Health partnered with Cornell University, HealthPartners, Essentia Health, Lake County, Minnesota Women Infants and Children Program, and the Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories to continue and expand Great Lakes Restoration Initiative efforts to reduce exposures to toxic substances from Great Lakes fish consumption in women of childbearing age. This grant was completed October 2016.

• Appendix
  • B: Brochure Development (PDF)
    • B1: State Brochure Versions (PDF)
    • B2: Summary of Potential High Impact Communication Strategies (PDF)
    • B3: Key Message Testing (PDF)
    • B4: Minnesota Focus Group Results (PDF)
  • C: Reducing Toxic Exposure from Fish consumption in Women of childbearing Age and Urban Anglers: Results of a Two-Year Diary Study (PDF)
  • D: Lake County Mercury Screening Project (MSP) Reports (PDF)
  • F: Testing the Dissemination of Fish Consumption Information (PDF)
    • Appendix
      • A: Fish Literature Review (PDF)
      • B: Focus Group Report - Report on Patient Focus Groups on Healthy Eating and Fish, December 4, 2015 (PDF)
      • C: "Dish Up Some Fish" Brochure (PDF)
      • D: www.ChooseYourFish.org Screenshots (PDF)

Publications

Connelly N, Lauber T, Niederdeppe J, Knuth B.  Fish consumption among women anglers of childbearing age in the Great Lakes region.  Environmental Research, 150 + (2016) 213-218.

Connelly, N. A., T. B. Lauber, J. Niederdeppe, and B. A. Knuth. 2017. Are women anglers of childbearing age in the Great Lakes region following fish consumption guidelines? Journal of Great Lakes Research 43:187-191, DOI: 10.1016/j.jglr.2017.03.022.

Lauber, T. B., N.A. Connelly, J. Niederdeppe, and B. A. Knuth. 2017. Urban Anglers’ Adherence to Fish Consumption Advisories in the Great Lakes Region. Journal of Great Lakes Research 43:180-186, DOI: 10.1016/j.jglr.2017.03.011.

Niederdeppe, J., N.A. Connelly, T. B. Lauber and B. A. Knuth 2019. Effects of a Personal Narrative in Messages Designed to Promote Health Fish Consumption Among Women of Childbearing Age, Health Communication, 34:8, 825-837, DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1437526

Connelly N, Lauber T, McCann P, Niederdeppe J, Knuth B. Estimated exposure to mercury from fish consumption among women anglers of childbearing age in the Great Lakes region. Environmental Research, 171 (2019) 11-17

• Cornell University Fish Consumption Research 2011-2016: Key Findings and Recommendations for Outreach and Education (PDF)

With funding from the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, HealthPartners Institute teamed up with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to create the ChooseYourFish Initiative. ChooseYourFish promotes safe fish consumption and aims to improve fetal developmental outcomes for women who are or could become pregnant. The purpose of this project is to improve messaging to help women of childbearing age in making decisions about safe fish consumption for themselves and their families.

The ChooseYourFish Initiative effectively disseminates information to patients and members within the healthcare system. The goal is to:

• increase women’s knowledge about safe fish consumption guidelines.
• align behavior with fish consumption guidelines.
• decrease barriers to and fear of eating fish.

The ChooseYourFish Initiative developed an evidence-based brochure and companion mobile-responsive website using feedback from focus groups. ChooseYourFish.org contains over 40 fish recipes, a fish flavor/texture table, educational videos, and an interactive shopping list. Using social media campaigns, the website has reached thousands of women across the state.

• Choose Your Fish (PDF)
• Choose Your Fish (mobile-responsive website)
• Cooking Fish Demonstrations (Videos)
• Video: New information for women to choose the best fish
• Evaluation Report: "Choose Your Fish" (PDF)
• Fish Consumption Advisory Program Media Campaign Summary (PDF)
• ChooseYourFish Online Marketing STRATEGIES AND LEARNINGS (PDF)
• Promoting Healthy Fish Consumption Messaging among Hmong Women: Focus Group & Digital Media Promotion Summary & Key Takeaways (PDF)

References for published results from ChooseYourFish Initiative

• Jennifer Renner, Amy B. LaFrance, Ruth Taswell, Jeanne Mettner, Abigail S. Katz, Patricia McCann, Thomas E. Kottke, Lisa Harvey & Jeanette Y. Ziegenfuss | Ann Grand (Reviewing editor) (2018) Piquing their “Pinterest”: A qualitative study to format and deliver complex fish consumption guidelines to women who are or could become pregnant, Cogent Social Sciences, 4:1.
• Ziegenfuss JY, Renner J, Harvey L, Katz AS, Mason KA, McCann P, et al. Responses to a Social Media Campaign Promoting Safe Fish Consumption Among Women. Prev Chronic Dis 2019;16:180621.
• JaKa MM, Dinh JM, McCann P, Katz AS, Kottke TE, & Ziegenfuss JY. (In press). Promoting Healthy Fish Consumption Messaging among Hmong Women:Focus Group & Digital Media Promotion Summary & Key Takeaways.