Fish Consumption Advisory Issued for Chickahominy Watershed Due to PFOS

VA Dept of Health Newsroom

Published May 9th, 2025

Detected February 13th, 2026

Summary

Virginia health officials have issued a fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy Watershed due to elevated PFOS levels in certain fish species. The advisory recommends limiting consumption to two meals per month from the Chickahominy River and no meals from White Oak Swamp.

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What changed

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has issued an immediate fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy Watershed, including the Chickahominy River and White Oak Swamp, due to elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) found in creek chubsucker, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, and sunfish. Fish tissue samples collected between November 2021 and September 2023 showed PFOS levels exceeding safe limits for long-term human consumption. The advisory recommends consuming no more than two fish meals per month from the Chickahominy River and no fish from White Oak Swamp.

This advisory is critical for consumers, particularly pregnant women, nursing mothers, young children, and women who may become pregnant, who are at increased health risk from PFOS exposure. While recreational activities like swimming are not affected, VDH advises eating smaller, younger fish, consuming fewer servings, and diversifying fish sources to reduce potential harmful effects. Cleaning or cooking fish does not remove PFOS. This guidance is non-binding but highlights potential public health risks associated with contaminated fish consumption in the specified watershed.

What to do next

Review and disseminate the fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy Watershed to relevant stakeholders.
Advise consumers, especially vulnerable populations, on recommended consumption limits and precautions for fish from the affected areas.
Monitor VDH updates regarding PFOS levels and potential changes to the advisory.

Source document (simplified)

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

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.