Lake Superior Rainbow Smelt Advisory

In January 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) issued a PFAS-based fish consumption advisory for Lake Superior rainbow smelt.

Due to the high levels of PFOS found in the samples, the DNR and DHS updated the recommended rainbow smelt consumption advisory from an unrestricted amount to one meal per month for Lake Superior.

The sampling completed by the DNR found elevated levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), particularly the compound PFOS, in rainbow smelt in Lake Superior.

According to Wiconsin DNR, rainbow smelt were collected from two locations in Lake Superior in 2019 approximately 30 miles apart at sites near the Apostle Islands and off Port Wing. PFAS was detected in samples from both locations.

Rainbow Smelt

 

Rainbow smelt are a small, silver fish that are non-native to Lake Superior. Smelt are sometimes caught by ice fishing, but the majority of harvesting occurs in the springtime as the fish migrate into streams to spawn.

Rainbow smelt can either be anadromous or landlocked in freshwater. Landlocked populations from Maine were introduced to Crystal Lake, Michigan and then spread to the Great Lakes.

For fish consumption advice for rainbow smelt and other Great Lakes fish species, visit the Wisconsin DNR’s webpage (dnr.wisconsin.gov).

source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources