The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has updated freshwater fish consumption advisories. They are recommending limiting consumption of all fish or certain fish from six waterbodies in Maine.
The updated advisories come after testing of fish in these locations found levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, above Maine CDC’s recommended levels for regular consumption.
Elevated levels of the PFAS called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid were detected in fish samples from Limestone Stream below the dam near Route 229 in Limestone, Kennebec River between Hinkley and Fairfield, Number One Pond on Mousam River in Sanford, Halfmoon Stream in Thorndike, Fifteenmile Stream in Albion, and China Lake.
The updated fish consumption advisories apply to game fish caught in these waterbodies:
| Area | Waterbody | Consumption Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Albion | Fifteenmile Stream from the Yorktown Brook inlet at the Hussey Road to Route 137/202 in Albion. | Consume no more than 2 meals per month of brook trout. |
| China | All of China Lake. | Consume no more than 1 meal per month of any fish species. |
| Fairfield | Kennebec River from the Carrabassett Stream inlet just North of Route 23 to the Lockwood Dam in Waterville. | Consume no more than 9 meals per year of smallmouth bass. |
| Limestone | All of Durepo Pond and Limestone Stream from Durepo to the Canadian Border. | Consume no more than 4 meals per year of brook trout and do not eat smallmouth bass. |
| Sanford | All of Number One Pond. | Consume no more than 1 meal per month of largemouth bass. |
| Thorndike | Halfmoon Stream from the Shikles Road in Thorndike to the Berry Road in Unity near the confluence with Sandy Stream. | Consume no more than 2 meals per month of brook trout. |
| *Bolded entries indicate extensions of advisories issued in 2022. | ||
The Maine CDC does say that fishing in these specific waterbodies remains a safe activity, in accordance with the consumption advisories, along with other recreational activities such as swimming, wading, and boating. They do recommend that anglers review all existing fish consumption advisories for Maine waters.
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