CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia health and environmental officials have released the state’s 2026 Sport Fish Consumption Advisories, noting fewer restrictions this year due to long‑term improvements in water quality.
The Department of Health, working with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Division of Natural Resources, said the updated guidance reflects new and historic fish‑tissue data. Among the most significant changes are the full removal of the black bass advisory at Sutton Lake and a relaxed advisory for smallmouth bass in the Shenandoah River, now limited only to fish longer than twelve inches.
State officials say low levels of contaminants such as PCBs, mercury, selenium, and dioxin can still be found in fish from certain waterways. The advisories are intended to help anglers decide where to harvest fish, which species to eat, how often to consume them, and how to prepare their catch. The recommendations focus on people most vulnerable to long‑term exposure, including women of childbearing age, children, and individuals who regularly eat wild‑caught fish.
The guidance applies only to sport fish caught in West Virginia waters. Federal agencies regulate safety standards for fish sold in stores and markets.
Officials emphasized that the advisories are recommendations, not regulations.
