2026 Michigan safe fish guidelines - varieties and quantities you can eat per month

By David Komer
FOX 2 Detroit
Published June 8, 2026 2:50 PM EDT

The Brief

    • The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released the 2026 Eat Safe Fish Guide.
    • A list of rivers and lakes has been updated for areas of concern for fish consumption due to chemical levels.
    • An eating guide was released to safely guide consumption of fish varieties within an allotted month or year.

FOX 2 - Fishing in Michigan offers plenty of options with dozens of species that call state rivers and lakes home.

The backstory:

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has released the 2026 Eat Safe Fish Guides to help Michigan residents choose fish that are best for them and their families to eat.

The Eat Safe Fish Guides provide consumption guidelines for eating locally caught fish. Guidelines are based on levels of chemicals found in the portions of fish people eat, typically the filets. Test results from the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories are used to determine what can be safe for people to eat over the long term.

In total, the guides provide consumption guidelines for 696 Michigan water bodies. This year, there were 59 guidelines that were relaxed and 65 that became more protective than previous years.

Areas of concern - there are 11 AOCs caused by the high levels of chemicals that need to be cleaned up. Those areas are also eligible for funding to help improve them. They are:

According to the EPA there is a group delisted after a series of successful restoration efforts. They are:

But toxins like PFAS, mercury, and other ‘forever chemicals’ mean not every fish species can be consumed at the same rate, with some posing a greater risk while eating them.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has released its 2026 guidelines for safely eating fish caught in the state.

Consumption guidelines are based on the levels of chemicals found in portions of fish that people eat, including salmon, carp, catfish, trout, whitefish, steelhead, pike, and smelt. 

The guide includes types of fish, the chemicals of concern they may have ingested, where they were caught, and how many services are advised. Depending on what species was harvested and where it was caught, it can play a role in how much someone can safely eat. 

A full breakdown of fish caught in the Great Lakes and safe consumption recommendations is below:

Lake Huron:

  • Atlantic Salmon - 2 servings per month (Dioxins)
  • Brown Trout - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Carp - Do Not Eat (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • Catfish - Limited consumption (Dioxins)
  • Chinook Salmon - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Coho Salmon - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Freshwater Drum - 1 serving per month (Mercury)
  • Lake Herring - 2 servings per month (PFOS)
  • Lake Trout - 1 serving per month (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • Lake Whitefish - 6 servings per year (Dioxins)
  • Northern Pike - 1 serving per month (PCBs)
  • Rainbow Trout - 1 serving per month (PFOS)
  • Smelt - 2 servings per month (PFOS)
  • Steelhead - 1 serving per month (PFOS)
  • Suckers - 2 servings per month (PCBs)
  • Walleye - 6 servings per year (Dioxins)
  • White (Silver) Bass - Limited (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • White Perch - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Yellow Perch - 2 servings per month (Dioxins)

Lake Erie:

  • Carp - Do Not Eat (PCBs)
  • Catfish - Limited (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • Chinook Salmon - Limited (PCBs)
  • Coho Salmon - Limited (PCBs)
  • Freshwater Drum - Limited (PCBs)
  • Lake Whitefish - Limited (PCBs)
  • Largemouth Bass - Limited (PCBs)
  • Rainbow Trout - Limited (PCBs)
  • Smallmouth Bass - Limited (PCBs)
  • Steelhead - Limited (PCBs)
  • Walleye - 6 servings per year (Dioxins, PCBs, PFOS)
  • White (Silver) Bass - Limited (PCBs)
  • White Perch - Limited (PCBs)
  • Yellow Perch - 2 servings per month (PCBs)

Lake Michigan:

  • Brown Trout - Limited (PCBs)
  • Burbot - 1 serving per month (PCBs)
  • Carp - Do Not Eat (PCBs)
  • Chinook Salmon - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Coho Salmon 1 serving per month (PCBs)
  • Lake Herring - 2 servings per month (PCBs, PFOS)
  • Lake Trout - Limited (Dioxins)
  • Lake Whitefish - 6 servings per year (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • Largemouth Bass - 2 servings per month (Mercury, PCBs)
  • Rainbow Trout - 1 serving per month (PCBs)
  • Smallmouth Bass - 1 serving per month (Mercury, PCBs)
  • Smelt - 1 serving per month (PFOS)
  • Steelhead - 1 serving per month (PCBs)
  • Suckers - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Walleye - Limited (Mercury, PCBs, PFOS)
  • Yellow Perch - 4 servings per month (PCBs, Mercury)

Lake Superior:

  • Brown Trout - 1 serving per month (PCBs)
  • Burbot Mercury 2 servings per month (Mercury)
  • Chinook Salmon - 6 servings per year (PCBs)
  • Coho Salmon - 4 servings per month (PCBs, Toxaphene)
  • Lake Herring - 4 servings per month (PFOS)
  • Lake Trout - 2 servings per month (PCBs, Toxaphene)
  • Lake Whitefish - 1 serving per month (Dioxins)
  • Northern Pike - 2 servings per month (Mercury)
  • Rainbow Trout - 2 servings per month (PCBs)
  • Siscowet - Limited (PCBs, Toxaphene)
  • Smelt - 8 servings per month (PFOS)
  • Steelhead - 2 servings per month (PCBs)
  • Suckers - 2 servings per month (Toxaphene)
  • Walleye - 2 servings per month (Mercury)
  • Yellow Perch - 2 servings per month (Mercury)

Superior:

  • Carp - Do Not Eat (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • Catfish - Limited (Dioxins)
  • Freshwater Drum - 1 serving per month (Mercury)
  • Lake Trout - limited (Dioxins, PCBS)
  • Walleye - 6 servings per year (Dioxins)
  • White (Silver) Bass - Do Not Eat (Dioxins, PCBs)
  • Yellow Perch - 2 servings per month (Dioxins)
  • All Other Species - 6 servings per year (Dioxins, PCBs)

More Resources:

Go HERE for Eat Fish Safe Guidelines

Michigan Areas of Concern Frequently Asked Questions 

The Source: Information for this story is provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

HealthMichiganOutdoors Michigan