Montana Updates Fish Consumption Guide Over Pollution

To many, fishing is more than a sport in Montana. That is how you load the freezer. You catch it, you eat it. Simple as that.

Which is why this recent news sounds a bit weird.

A new report and updated guidelines from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are cautioning anglers to be more mindful of how much fish they are consuming from certain waters. The reason boils down to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), nicknamed “forever chemicals.” Not the thing you want to see with your dinner.

These chemicals are not readily biodegradable. They linger in water, concentrate in fish, and slowly make their way into your body. Montana Public Radio reports PFAS contamination has been detected in several waterways statewide, prompting revised fish consumption guidelines based on where you are fishing.

In other words, some of the fish that you have been consuming may make you grow flippers for arms.

Goodbye, Fish Fry?

If you are someone who prefers catch and cook, not just catch and release, this hits different. There is something about pulling a fish from a river in Montana that feels pure and real. It is local. It is earned. It is as real as food gets.

And now we are being asked to take it all a little slower.

Not stop, but be aware. Check where you are fishing. Or maybe eat less from certain places. Not a lot of people are used to that kind of shift.

The Bigger Picture

A new look by PBS examined how widespread these chemicals are in Montana waters. Hearing there are concerns is one thing. Seeing how long it has been an issue and how far it has spread is another.

It does not exactly inspire confidence about what has been in some of these lakes and streams around Montana.

What To Do Now

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has a revised version of the fish consumption guide that explains where you need to be careful and how often you should eat fish from those waters.
Nobody is quitting fishing over this. (I mean C'mon... Ijust got my boat running again!) But it does mean paying a little closer attention than we used to.

Catch fish. Eat fish. Just maybe check first.