Eric Douglas Published

W.Va. Fish Consumption Advisory Unchanged For 2025


Guidelines for which fish you can safely eat, and how many, from West Virginia waters have been released for 2025. They are unchanged from last year. 

The Department of Health produces an annual West Virginia Sport Fish Consumption Advisory in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Division of Natural Resources. 

Fish consumption advisories are updated each year to help West Virginia anglers and their families make educated choices about eating the fish they catch. 

The advisory is based on recent fish tissue data. Low levels of chemicals like PCBs, mercury, selenium and dioxin have been found in some fish from certain waters. It is intended to help anglers and their families decide: where to fish, what types of fish to eat, how to limit the amount and frequency of fish eaten, and how to prepare and cook fish to reduce contaminants. 

Women of childbearing age, children, and people who regularly eat fish are susceptible to contaminants that build up over time. Those individuals should be especially careful to follow the guidelines.
View the current West Virginia Sport Fish Consumption Advisory starting on page 24 of the Fishing Regulations Summary 2025.