Contact an environmental health department for safety warnings. Unfortunately, water pollution means fish aren’t always safe to eat. Many agencies post warnings online. Check with a state health department, natural resources department, or something similar. You could also call to talk to a park ranger if you fish at a park. If you’re not going to eat what you catch, you don’t have to worry about this as much.
- As a rule of thumb, bigger fish that eat other fish have more pollution. Big fish like tuna tend to have a high level of mercury than smaller fish that eat insects don’t have. It also depends on the quality of the water where you’re fishing.
- Remember any catch and release policies your local government may have. Some places require you to keep or put back certain fish.
