The Guide to Eating Ontario Fish provides easy-to-use information to help the general population and sensitive populations (for example, children under 15 years old and anyone who is pregnant or may become pregnant) choose fish caught from Ontario lakes and rivers to eat, while minimizing exposure to toxins.
The Province collects fish for contaminant analysis through the Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program. They assess measured contaminant levels to determine how many fish meals a person can safely eat per month for the type, size and location where the fish was caught. The type and amount of Ontario fish that are safe to eat (called “consumption advice” or advisories) are generally based on guidelines provided by Health Canada. The Detroit River is divided into two locations in the Guide – the upper Detroit River and lower Detroit River.