Virginia Health Officials Issue Fish Consumption Advisory for Chickahominy River

April 14, 2026

Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, brookie.crawford@vdh.virginia.gov

Virginia Health Officials Issue Fish Consumption Advisory for Chickahominy River
Contaminants Identified in Black Crappie

RICHMOND, Va. – Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is issuing a fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy River due to elevated perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) levels in black crappie.

Map showing the area of the fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy River

Fish tissue sample results collected from 2023 through 2024 show PFOS levels in black crappie exceed the amount considered safe for long-term human consumption.

VDH advises eating no more than two fish meals per month of black crappie from the Chickahominy River including Chickahominy Lake, from the confluence of the Chickahominy River with the James River, upstream to the state Rt 360 bridge at the Henrico and Hanover County Line near Mechanicsville.

Black Crappie

Photo of a Black Crappie

≤ 2 Meals/Month
A meal is defined as eight ounces of fish.

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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