Fish Consumption
- Fish Consumption Home
- Waterbody-specific, Northeast, and Statewide Guidelines
- Contaminants and Minnesota Fish
- Order Fish Consumption Materials
- Eating Fish: Benefits and Serving Size
- Resources, Reports & Technical Information
- Great Lakes Consortium
- Information in Other Languages
Related Topics
Environmental Health Division
Contact Info
Waterbody-specific, Northeast, and Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines
Updated March 2026
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) regularly reviews fish contaminant data and methods for public health guidance. Check our Fish Consumption Guidance webpage regularly for updates.
Follow these guidelines to lower your exposure to contaminants in fish, and still get the benefits of eating fish:
- Check the Waterbody-specific Fish Consumption Guidelines to see if there are more restrictive guidelines for fish species caught in Minnesota lakes and rivers.
- For Cook, Lake, or St. Louis counties: check the Northeast Fish Consumption Guidelines for general guidelines for fish from Minnesota waters in those counties.
- Check the Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines for general guidelines for fish from Minnesota waters in all other counties.
- Check the Purchased Fish Consumption Guidelines for general guidelines for sensitive populations for fish bought from stores and restaurants.
Fish Consumption Guidelines
Waterbody-specific guidelines provide advice for lakes, rivers, and Lake Superior where fish have been tested for contaminants and have higher concentrations in one or more species of fish. Not all waterbodies in Minnesota have been tested for contaminants in fish.
Lakes
- LakeFinder (Department of Natural Resources)
Rivers
Lake Superior
- Sensitive populations: Children under age 15; girls, women, and people age 15 and older who may become pregnant, people who are pregnant, people who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, Lake Superior (PDF)
- General Populations: People not planning to become pregnant; boys and men age 15 and older, Lake Superior (PDF)
Northeast Fish Consumption Guidelines follow the Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines, except for five species where average mercury levels measured in fish from some waterbodies in Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties were higher; these guidelines provide information for most waterbodies in these counties, even those not tested for contaminants.
Sensitive populations: Children under age 15; girls, women, and people age 15 and older who may become pregnant, people who are pregnant, people who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
Table: Northeast Fish Consumption Guidelines (Cook, Lake, & St. Louis counties) (new) for Minnesota caught fish
| 1 Serving per Week | 1 Serving per Month | Avoid These (Do Not Eat) |
|---|---|---|
| Bullhead | Bass | Muskellunge |
| Crappie | Catfish | Northern pike 26 inches or longer (new-lengths) |
| Inland trout (brook, brown, rainbow) | Lake trout | Walleye 18 inches or longer (new-lengths) |
| Lake herring (cisco) | Northern pike shorter than 26 inches (new-lengths) | -- |
| Lake whitefish | Walleye shorter than 18 inches (new-lengths) | -- |
| Sunfish (such as bluegill) | Yellow perch (new-category) | -- |
| -- | Other MN fish species not listed | -- |
Select 1 species from the weekly category every week and do not exceed the total servings listed for that category
(for example, choosing 1 serving of Minnesota caught Crappie)
Optionally, add 1 species from any serving category every month
(for example, adding 1 serving of Minnesota caught Sunfish or 1 serving of Minnesota caught Walleye shorter than 18 inches per month)
Categories are based on fillet data. If you eat other parts of the fish, your exposure may differ.
To learn more about what a serving size is, visit Benefits of Eating Fish and Serving Sizes.
MDH recommends eating purchased fish low in contaminants. To learn more about purchased fish low in mercury, visit EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish.
For additional options for weekly or monthly servings of store/restaurant bought fish for sensitive populations see Purchased Fish Consumption Guidelines.
General populations: People not planning to become pregnant; boys and men age 15 and older
Table: Northeast Fish Consumption Guidelines (Cook, Lake, & St. Louis counties) (new) for Minnesota caught fish
| 4 Servings per Week | 2 Servings per Week | 1 Serving per Week | 1 Serving per Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullhead | Crappie (new-category) | Bass | Muskellunge |
| Inland trout (brook, brown, rainbow) | Sunfish (such as bluegill) (new-category) | Catfish | -- |
| Lake herring (cisco) | -- | Lake trout | -- |
| Lake whitefish | -- | Northern pike | -- |
| -- | -- | Walleye | -- |
| -- | -- | Yellow perch (new-category) | -- |
| -- | -- | Other MN fish species not listed | -- |
Select 1 weekly category every week and do not exceed the total servings (4, 2, or 1) listed for that category
(for example, if the “4 servings per week” category was selected, choosing 2 servings of Minnesota caught Bullhead and 2 servings of Minnesota caught Lake whitefish for that week would not exceed that category)
Optionally, add 1 species from any serving category every month
(for example, adding 2 servings of Minnesota caught Sunfish or 1 serving of Minnesota caught Walleye per month)
Categories are based on fillet data. If you eat other parts of the fish, your exposure may differ.
To learn more about what a serving size is, visit Benefits of Eating Fish and Serving Sizes.
MDH recommends eating purchased fish low in contaminants. To learn more about purchased fish low in mercury, visit EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish.
Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines are based on average mercury, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels measured in fish throughout Minnesota; these guidelines provide information for most waterbodies, even those not tested for contaminants.
Sensitive populations: Children under age 15; girls, women, and people age 15 and older who may become pregnant, people who are pregnant, people who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
Table: Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines (All counties except Cook, Lake, & St. Louis counties) for Minnesota caught fish
| 1 Serving per Week | 1 Serving per Month | Avoid These (Do Not Eat) |
|---|---|---|
| Bullhead | Bass | Muskellunge |
| Crappie | Catfish | Northern pike 28 inches or longer (new-lengths) |
| Inland trout (brook, brown, rainbow) | Lake trout | Walleye 20 inches or longer (new-lengths) |
| Lake herring (cisco) | Northern pike shorter than 28 inches (new-lengths) | -- |
| Lake whitefish | Walleye shorter than 20 inches (new-lengths) | -- |
| Sunfish (such as bluegill) | Other MN fish species not listed | -- |
| Yellow perch | -- | -- |
Select 1 species from the weekly category every week and do not exceed the total servings listed for that category
(for example, choosing 1 serving of Minnesota caught Crappie)
Optionally, add 1 species from any serving category every month
(for example, adding 1 serving of Minnesota caught Sunfish or 1 serving of Minnesota caught Walleye shorter than 20 inches per month)
Categories are based on fillet data. If you eat other parts of the fish, your exposure may differ.
To learn more about what a serving size is, visit Benefits of Eating Fish and Serving Sizes.
MDH recommends eating purchased fish low in contaminants. To learn more about purchased fish low in mercury, visit EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish.
For additional options for weekly or monthly servings of store/restaurant bought fish for sensitive populations see Purchased Fish Consumption Guidelines.
General populations: People not planning to become pregnant; boys and men age 15 and older
Table: Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines (All counties except Cook, Lake, & St. Louis counties) for Minnesota caught fish
| 4 Servings per Week | 1 Serving per Week | 1 Serving per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Bullhead | Bass | Muskellunge |
| Crappie | Catfish | -- |
| Inland trout (brook, brown, rainbow) | Lake trout | -- |
| Lake herring (cisco) | Northern pike | -- |
| Lake whitefish | Walleye | -- |
| Sunfish (such as bluegill) | Other MN fish species not listed | -- |
| Yellow perch | -- | -- |
Select 1 weekly category every week and do not exceed the total servings (4 or 1) listed for that category
(for example, if the “4 servings per week” category was selected, choosing 2 servings of Minnesota caught Bullhead and 2 servings of Minnesota caught Lake whitefish for that week would not exceed that category)
Optionally, add 1 species from any serving category every month
(for example, adding 4 servings of Minnesota caught Sunfish or 1 serving of Minnesota caught Walleye per month)
Categories are based on fillet data. If you eat other parts of the fish, your exposure may differ.
To learn more about what a serving size is, visit Benefits of Eating Fish and Serving Sizes.
MDH recommends eating purchased fish low in contaminants. To learn more about purchased fish low in mercury, visit EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish.
Purchased Fish Consumption Guidelines provide information for sensitive populations on purchased (commercial) fish low in mercury and high in fatty acids to include in their diet.
Sensitive populations: Children under age 15; girls, women, and people age 15 and older who may become pregnant, people who are pregnant, people who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
Table: Purchased Fish Consumption Guidelines (species that can be purchased from stores or restaurants)
| 2 Servings per Week | 1 Serving per Week | 1 Serving per Month | Avoid These (Do Not Eat) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish (farm-raised) | Canned “light” tuna | Canned “white” (albacore) tuna | Swordfish |
| Cod | Halibut | Chilean seabass | King Mackerel |
| Herring+ | -- | Grouper | Big Eye Tuna |
| Mackerel (Atlantic)+ | -- | Marlin | -- |
| Pollock | -- | Tuna (steak or fillet) | -- |
| Salmon (Atlantic or Pacific; not Great Lakes)+ | -- | -- | -- |
| Sardines+ | -- | -- | -- |
| Shellfish (such as crab, oysters, scallops, shrimp) | -- | -- | -- |
| Tilapia | -- | -- | -- |
| Fish sticks and sandwiches | -- | -- | -- |
+Higher in Omega-3 fatty acids
Select 1 weekly category every week and do not exceed the total servings (2 or 1) listed for that category
(for example, if the “2 servings per week” category was selected, choosing 2 servings of purchased Atlantic or Pacific Salmon for that week would not exceed that category)
Optionally, add 1 species from any serving category every month
(for example, adding 2 servings of purchased Tilapia or 1 serving of purchased Canned “light” tuna or 1 serving of Minnesota caught Walleye 18 inches or shorter per month)
To learn more about what a serving size is and for examples of combining purchased and Minnesota caught fish, visit Benefits of Eating Fish and Serving Sizes.
MDH recommends eating purchased fish low in contaminants. Purchased fish listed in the table have been found to be low in mercury according to EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish.