Adirondack Park Fish Advisory

Many people enjoy fishing. The Adirondacks are rich with rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, and offer wonderful opportunities for fishing.

This information is for people who may eat the fish they catch from waters of the Adirondack Park region. Fish are nutritious and good to eat. However, some fish have levels of chemicals that might be harmful to your health or to members of your family.

Know the 1-2-3 Advisories

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) issues advisories for eating sportfish. There are three fish advisories for the Adirondack Park region:

  1. The statewide advisory
  2. Advisories for children less than 15 years old and for women who are pregnant or might one day become pregnant
  3. Specific advisories for the Adirondack Park and nearby waters.

Knowing these advisories can help you and your family make sportfish part of a healthy diet.

1. Statewide Advisory

Don't eat more than one meal per week of fish taken from any lake, river, stream or pond and some marine waters in New York State. This applies to all people.

2. Advisories for Women and Children For children less than 15 years old and women who are pregnant or who might one day become pregnant

Think about the women and children in your life.

DOH offers this special advice because mercury and other chemicals in fish may have a greater effect on babies and young children. Some chemicals also build up in a woman's body and can be passed on to her baby.

Methylmercury, the form of mercury that builds up in fish, can cause effects on the nervous system. Exposure to methylmercury is more of a concern for children and unborn babies because their nervous systems are still developing. Some research on people who eat large amounts of fish finds that methylmercury might affect children's memory, attention and language development.

Regional Advisory

Children less than 15 years old and women who are pregnant or who might one day become pregnant should not eat ANY of the fish below from the Adirondack Park and nearby waters because they have higher levels of mercury.

picture of largemouth bass
Largemouth bass		 picture of Northern Pike
Northern Pike		 picture of Pickerel
Pickeral
picture of smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass		 picture of Walleye
Walleye		 picture of Yellow Perch
Yellow perch greater than 10"

3. Specific Advisories

Children less than 15 years old and women who are pregnant or who might one day become pregnant should not eat ANY fish from the waters listed on the map below because fish from these waters have higher levels of mercury or PCBs.

Specific Advisories for the Adirondack Park and Nearby Waters

map Indian Lake Carry Falls Reservoir Meacham Lake Upper Chateaugay Lake Union Falls Flow /Pond Indian Lake Carry Falls Reservoir Meacham Lake Upper Chateaugay Lake Union Falls Flow /Pond Franklin Falls Flow/Pond Osgood Pond Polliwog Pond Lower Saranac Lake Weller Pond Cranberry Lake Tupper Lake Lake Champlain High Falls Pond Elmer Falls Reservoir Effley Falls Reservoir Long Pond Town of Croghan Soft Maple Dam Pond Soft Maple Reservoir Halfmoon Lake Francis Lake Beaver Lake Sunday Lake Stillwater Reservoir Moshier Reservoir Lower and Upper Sister Lakes Long Lake Lincoln Pond Crane Pond Schroon Lake Kings Flow Round Pond Town of Long Lake Lake Eaton South Pond Town of Long Lake Lake Durant and Rock Pond Town of Indian Lake Blue Mountain Lake Willis Lake Hudson River Great Sacandaga Lake Canada Lake Pine Lake Middle Stoner Lake (or East Stoner Lake) Chase Lake Ferris Lake Sand Lake Town of Arietta Spy Lake Sacandaga Lake North Lake Town of Ohio Fourth Lake Dart Lake Big Moose Lake Russian Lake Woods Lake Raquette Lake Forked Lake

Remember, children less than 15 years old and women who are pregnant or who might one day become pregnant should not eat any fish from the waters listed below.

  1. Indian Lake (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of all species (Map)
  2. Carry Falls Reservoir (St. Lawrence) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of walleye (Map)
  3. Meacham Lake (Franklin) - EAT NO yellow perch over 12"; and smallmouth bass and EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of northern pike and smaller yellow perch (Map)
  4. Upper Chateaugay Lake (Clinton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  5. Union Falls Flow /Pond (Clinton); Franklin) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of northern pike and smallmouth bass (Map)
  6. Franklin Falls Flow/Pond (Essex); Franklin) - EAT NO walleye (Map)
  7. Osgood Pond (Franklin) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (Map)
  8. Polliwog Pond (Franklin) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (Map)
  9. Lower Saranac Lake (Franklin) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  10. Weller Pond (Franklin) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of northern pike (Map)
  11. Cranberry Lake (St. Lawrence) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (Map)
  12. Tupper Lake (Franklin); St. Lawrence) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass and walleye (Map)
  13. Lake Champlain - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of lake trout over 25"; and walleye over 19";
    Bay within Cumberland Head to Crab Island - EAT NO brown bullhead and EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of American eel and yellow perch (Map)
  14. High Falls Pond (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  15. Elmer Falls Reservoir (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (Map)
  16. Effley Falls Reservoir (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of chain pickerel and smallmouth bass (Map)
  17. Long Pond Town of Croghan (Lewis) - EAT NO splake over 12"; (Map)
  18. Soft Maple Dam Pond (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of rock bass and smallmouth bass (Map)
  19. Soft Maple Reservoir (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of rock bass and smallmouth bass (Map)
  20. Halfmoon Lake (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch (Map)
  21. Francis Lake (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 9"; and chain pickerel (Map)
  22. Beaver Lake (Lewis) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of chain pickerel (Map)
  23. Sunday Lake (Herkimer) - EAT NO chain pickerel and EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch (Map)
  24. Stillwater Reservoir (Herkimer) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 9";, smallmouth bass and splake (Map)
  25. Moshier Reservoir (Herkimer) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass and yellow perch (Map)
  26. Dart Lake (Herkimer) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 10"; (Map)

    fish consumption warning

  27. Big Moose Lake (Herkimer) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 9"; (Map)
  28. Russian Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 9"; (Map)
  29. Lower and Upper Sister Lakes (Hamilton) - EAT NO yellow perch over 10"; (Map)
  30. Raquette Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass (Map)
  31. Forked Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth and smallmouth bass (Map)
  32. Lake Eaton (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 10"; and smallmouth bass (Map)
  33. Long Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of northern pike (Map)
  34. South Pond Town of Long Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 10"; (Map)
  35. Woods Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  36. Blue Mountain Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass over 15"; and smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  37. Lake Durant and Rock Pond Town of Indian Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  38. Fourth Lake (Herkimer); Hamilton) - EAT NO lake trout (Map)
  39. North Lake Town of Ohio (Herkimer) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch (Map)
  40. Sacandaga Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (Map)
  41. Round Pond Town of Long Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 12"; (Map)
  42. Kings Flow (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  43. Schroon Lake (Warren); Essex) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of lake trout over 27";, yellow perch over 13"; and smallmouth bass (Map)
  44. Crane Pond (Essex) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  45. Lincoln Pond (Essex) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  46. Spy Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  47. Sand Lake Town of Arietta (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of chain pickerel (Map)
  48. Ferris Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO yellow perch over 12"; and EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smaller yellow perch (Map)
  49. Willis Lake (Hamilton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass (Map)
  50. Middle Stoner Lake (or East Stoner Lake) (Fulton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; (Map)
  51. Pine Lake (Fulton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of largemouth bass (Map)
  52. Canada Lake (Fulton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 15"; and chain pickerel (Map)
  53. Chase Lake (Fulton) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of yellow perch over 9"; (Map)
  54. Great Sacandaga Lake (Fulton); Saratoga) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass and walleye (Map)
  55. Hudson River (Corinth Dam to Dam at Route 9 Bridge in South Glens Falls) - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of smallmouth bass over 14"; (Map)
    • Sherman Island Dam downstream to Feeder Dam at South Glens Falls - EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of carp (Map)

Remember the 1-2-3 Advisories

There are three kinds of advice about eating fish caught in the Adirondack Park region:

  • Statewide advice that applies to everyone about eating one meal per week of fish
  • Advice for women and children about not eating certain fish from the Adirondack Park region
  • Waterbody specific advice about eating fish from listed waters

For More Information

Health Advisories: Chemicals in Sportfish and Game. New York State provices advice on eating fish from New York State waters, specific advisories for more than 130 waterbodies and information on the contaminants. It also explains how to reduce your exposures to these contaminants.

For a free copy visit our Fish Advisory website, call: 800-458-1158, ext. 27815 or e-mail: BTSA@health.state.ny.us

Fishing Responsibly in New York State. Provides New York State fishing regulations and catch and release information.

Health Advice for Purchased Fish. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides advice for women of childbearing age and young children for eating purchased fish and shellfish.