LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Michigan just tripled the number of lakes and rivers where anglers are told not to eat the fish—even if they catch it themselves.

The new “Eat Safe Fish” guidelines, released June 2 by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, tighten the state’s PFAS safety limits and trigger “do not eat” warnings on 98 waterbodies statewide—up from 33 last year, according to Bridge Michigan.

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The culprit is PFAS, a group of manmade “forever chemicals” found in everyday products like cosmetics, cookware, and waterproof fabrics. New research shows they are far more hazardous than once thought—and fish are absorbing them in alarming amounts. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, fertility issues, and immune system problems.

State health officials now advise against eating any fish with more than 49.6 parts per billion of PFOS, the most common PFAS compound. That’s six times stricter than the old 2014 limit. Even mild contamination now triggers warnings to limit servings.

One environmental group welcomed the updated guidelines but warned Michigan is still playing defense.

“The real message here,” Erica Bloom of the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center said, “is that we have to turn off the tap on these chemicals or we’re never going to get anywhere.”

The new guidance is not a law, but officials urge anglers to check the state’s Eat Safe Fish map before frying up the day’s catch.