Connecticut Department of Public Health loosens consumption advisory for fish from the Hockanum River

HARTFORD, Conn.—The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has loosened the consumption advisory for fish caught in four sections of Hockanum River in East Hartford, Vernon, Manchester, and Ellington, Connecticut (Table 1). DPH is taking this action in close coordination with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). DPH changed the advisory on the Hockanum River after evaluating perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations from fish sampled in 2022 and reported in 2023 from several sections of the Hockanum River using DPH’s safe consumption limits.

“These consumption advisories are necessary to protect public health while allowing for community members to benefit from the nutritional benefits of eating fish,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD.

DPH is modifying the previous ‘do not eat’ consumption advisory for the Hockanum River from the Connecticut River in East Hartford to the outlet of Union Pond in Manchester including East Hartford Lake as well as the Ellington section of the Hockanum River to “Do not eat bass, all other species - one meal per month.” However, the “Do not eat” consumption advisory remains in effect for the section of the Hockanum River from and including Union Pond in Manchester east through the remainder of Manchester and through Vernon to the outlet of Shenipsit Lake on Tolland Avenue. The “Do not eat” advisory also includes several riverine impoundments of Papermill Pond, including Pitney Park in Vernon and the Tankerhoosen River upstream to the dam on Main St, Vernon. Shenipsit Lake is not included in the advisory.

DPH’s safe consumption limits for PFOS are protective of the general population as well as sensitive groups, which include pregnant women, women planning on becoming pregnant, nursing women and children under 6 years old. However, it also is important to note that there is a pre-existing statewide advisory in place for all freshwater finfish and shellfish caught in Connecticut because of mercury contamination. Sensitive groups should limit their consumption to no more than one meal per month. For all other groups, the advice is to limit consumption to no more than one meal per week of freshwater finfish and shellfish. This statewide advisory does not apply to sunfish or trout as there are no consumption limits for these fish species, unless otherwise noted.

Additional information on DPH fish consumption advisories can be found at: https://portal.ct.gov/fish or by calling a DPH staff person at 1-877-458-FISH (3474).

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