Planning to drop a line and collect a stringer of fish, fresh out of the lake, river or stream? The state has some advice on what to consider before consuming the day’s catch.

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.

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, the MDHHS states in a news release.

“There are many health benefits to eating fish and the Eat Safe Fish Guides provide consumption recommendations based on the levels of certain chemicals found in fish in waterbodies across the state,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Michigan families can use these guidelines to help make healthy choices about the fish they eat.”

In total, the guides provide consumption guidelines for 696 Michigan waterbodies, organized by county and region. This year, 59 guidelines were relaxed and 65 that became more protective than previous years.

MDHHS Eat Safe Fish Guides are not laws or regulations. They provide free guidance to help people choose fish that are safe to eat and less likely to affect their health due to harmful chemicals.

The Eat Safe Fish Guides use lab test results to provide specific fish and waterbody consumption guidelines in an easy-to-use format. The guidelines are set to be protective of all individuals, including children, pregnant or breastfeeding women and people with health issues including cancer and diabetes.

They have recommended numbers of servings per month or year for the most popular freshwater fish, both statewide and locally, plus illustrations of the fish found in the state as well for easy identification.

Chemicals of concern include mercury, PCBs and PFOS, according to the guide.

MDHHS also produces the Buy Safe Fish Guide to help residents choose seafood lower in mercury from local grocery stores, fish markets and restaurants.

The Eat Safe Fish Guides and Buy Safe Fish Guide are available at Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish.

For more information on how to buy, eat or prepare safe fish, or to get the 2026 Eat Safe Fish Guide for your region, go to Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish and select Find Your Area or call the MDHHS Environmental Health Bureau at 800-648-6942.