May 9, 2025
Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, brookie.crawford@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Health Officials Issues Fish Consumption Advisory for Chickahominy Watershed
Contaminants Identified in Creek Chubsucker, Chain Pickerel, Largemouth Bass and Sunfish Species
RICHMOND, Va. – Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is issuing a fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy Watershed due to elevated perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) levels in specific fish species. The affected species include creek chubsucker, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, and sunfish.
Fish tissue samples show elevated PFOS levels in certain fish species. These amounts exceed the amount considered safe for long-term human consumption. The samples, collected from November 2021 through September 2023, are from the Chickahominy River and White Oak Swamp.
VDH advises eating no more than two fish meals per month from the Chickahominy River. VDH advises against eating any of the specified fish meals from White Oak Swamp. See the table below for consumption recommendations by species.
|
|
Creek Chubsucker
|
Chain Pickerel
|
Largemouth Bass  |
Sunfish
|
| Chickahominy River |
N/A |
≤ 2 Meals*/Month | ≤ 2 Meals/Month |
≤ 2 Meals/Month |
| White Oak Swamp |
No Meals |
No Meals | N/A |
No Meals |
*Meal is defined as 8 ounces of fish.
The advisory is for the Chickahominy River/Lake and the White Oak Swamp and all tributaries. For the Chickahominy River, the advisory extends from the confluence of the Chickahominy River with the James River, upstream to the State Route 360 bridge at the Henrico-Hanover County line near Mechanicsville. For the White Oak Swamp, the advisory extends from the confluence of White Oak Swamp and the Chickahominy River, upstream to the headwaters of White Oak Swamp and White Oak Swamp Creek near the Richmond International Airport.
The health effects of PFOS exposure can include increased cholesterol or changes in liver enzymes. It can also lower antibody response to some vaccines. It can cause pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, and a decrease in birth weight.
Fish consumption advisories alert people to contaminants present in affected fish species. They do not prohibit people from eating fish. Children and women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant have an increased health risk. Nursing mothers and young children should not eat fish from this advisory area.
Currently, this advisory area poses no health risk for recreational activities. Swimming, water skiing, and boating can continue in the advisory area.
Cleaning or cooking fish does not remove or reduce PFOS. To reduce potential harmful effects, VDH recommends the following precautions:
- Eat smaller, younger fish (within the legal limits). Younger fish are less likely to contain harmful levels of contaminants.
- Eat fewer or smaller servings of fish.
- Try to eat different species of fish from a variety of sources (i.e., different creeks, rivers and streams).
For more information, visit the VDH Fish Consumption Advisory page.
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