Are PCBs present in PFBC hatchery trout?
Yes. Some very low levels of PCBs are present in just about all wild and PFBC hatchery trout in Pennsylvania. State hatchery trout, when stocked in Pennsylvania waters, and all other recreationally-caught sportfish in Pennsylvania, are subject to a blanket one-meal-per-week consumption advisory. Trout are stocked for recreational angling, and some anglers harvest fish to eat them. Trout are not stocked as a foodstuff: If they were sold as foodstuffs in interstate commerce, they would be well within the applicable FDA safety standards. The stocking program is designed to provide fishing opportunities. Surveys show that anglers harvest no trout on about 60% of their fishing trips and two or fewer trout about 80% of the time. Most anglers do not regularly bring home large quantities of stocked trout (the daily creel limit is 5) to eat as meals. Consumption advisories are information tools, not regulatory or safety restrictions. They are intended to inform, not alarm. They are designed to