Freshwater Fish Advisory

Fish in the Cape Fear River tested positive for PFAS

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is recommending limits on the consumption of certain freshwater fish from the middle and lower Cape Fear River based on concerns about exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) found in fish sampled from that area. PFOS is part of a group of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are often called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment. The recommendations are based on newly available data and new information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Many states provide recommendations to limit or avoid eating certain fish due to PFAS.

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Freshwater Fish Species Advisory

Women of Childbearing Age (15 to 44 years), Pregnant Women, Nursing Mothers and Children

All Other Individuals

To better understand the levels of PFAS in fish in the middle and lower Cape Fear River, the NC Department of Environmental Quality and NC Wildlife Resources Commission collected and tested fish from the species that are most frequently caught and consumed in North Carolina based on surveys by the NCWRC.

“There are no easy answers, but we hope this information will help residents make the best decisions for themselves and their families,” said Dr. Zack Moore, NCDHHS State Epidemiologist. 

What’s Next?

Until dirty corporations begin to practice proper waste disposal, the contamination of marine life, human life, and all life  will continue to suffer the impact.