Throughout the Mississippi Delta, fishing is an important part of life, and most people eat what they catch. Beginning in the 1950s, organochlorine pesticides were heavily used for agricultural purposes throughout the Delta and continued to be used until several of the more toxic compounds, such as DDT and toxaphene, were banned for such use in the United States in the early 1970s. Monitoring by Mississippi State and Federal agencies of tissue from fish species harvested from Delta lakes during the 1970s through the 1990s revealed levels of the insecticides DDT and toxaphene that exceed levels of concern for public health. Fish consumption advisories were issued by Mississippi in order to help ensure protection of public health.
This report summarizes phase one of a two phase study designed to determine whether existing fish consumption recommendations issued by the state of Mississippi are adequately protecting sport and subsistence consumers of fish harvested from Delta waters.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.- Cover (PDF)(1 pg, 1 MB)
- Front (PDF)(6 pp, 22 K)
- Introduction (PDF)(6 pp, 71 K)
- Methodology Used to Develop the Survey Instrument (PDF)(7 pp, 42 K)
- Recommended Survey Methodology (PDF)(13 pp, 100 K)
- References and Appendix A: Final Survey Instrument (PDF)(27 pp, 93 K)
- Appendix B: Summary of Literature Review and C: Materials Used in Cognitive Interviews (PDF)(16 pp, 174 K)
- Appendix D: Maps of the Counties Selected for the Survey (PDF)(6 pp, 170 K)