New fish consumption advice released for portion of Mississippi River

There is new fish consumption advice for Pool 2 of the Mississippi River between St. Paul and Hastings.

The Health Department eased consumption limits for bluegill sunfish and added an advisory for freshwater drum after collecting new data on the perfluorinated chemical PFOS in those fish.

3M stopped making the compound in 2002, but some of the chemical contaminated the nearby Mississippi River when it leaked from landfills.

The Health Department says PFOS levels have dropped in bluegills, so the fish can now be eaten once per week instead of once per month.

But the agency added an advisory for freshwater drum after finding PFOS in that species for the first time. The advisory means that drum should only be eaten once per month.

Lower PFOS levels were also detected in carp and white bass, but consumption advice for those species remains at "one meal per month" due to high PCB levels in the fish.