Are spawning fish (in the rivers) any less safe to consume?
The Department publishes advice on how much fish people can safely consume due to contaminants. Fish consumption advice for Lake Michigan trout and salmon species is the same whether those migrating species are caught in Lake Michigan or in one of its tributaries. A special study was conducted and showed that for Lake Michigan trout and salmon migrating into tributaries, the fish do not accumulate additional amounts of contaminants after entering the river or stream. Fish that die after spawning, like chinook and coho salmon, may be less palatable since they do not feed during their spawning runs and their muscle tissue begins to break down. Fish that do not die after spawning, like steelhead, brown trout and brook trout, are generally in much better condition during spawning.
