Read the full article by John Riley (KTVH).
“The State of Montana is providing updated guidance on eating wild-caught fish following a study that found potentially harmful chemicals in some fish populations.
The study looked at per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as ‘PFAS’ or ‘forever chemicals’, in Montana fish. The Interagency Fish Consumption Advisory Group — consisting of representatives from the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) — then updated the consumption guidance based on the results.
‘That had never been looked at in fish before in Montana,’ said FWP Pollution Biologist Trevor Selch. ‘DEQ had done monitoring across the state in the water. And so we used the results they had from that water sampling to kind of follow up with fish testing to see if the fish were safe to eat.’
The PFAS Fish Tissue and Surface Water Monitoring Report examined fish in 11 water bodies: Missouri River, Whitmore Ravine, Lake Helena, Prickly Pear Creek, East Gallatin River, Yellowstone River, Fort Peck Reservoir, Nelson Reservoir, Clark Fork River, Flathead Lake and Flathead River.”…