Understand Oregon Health Authority’s Expanded Health Advisory For Lower Willamette River

As expected, the Oregon Health Authority updated the Health Advisory for the Lower Willamette River by lowering advised safe levels on resident fish consumption and expanding the area included in the advisory. Read more here: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/OHAExpandsLowerWillametteRiverResidentFishHealthAdvisory.aspx

A few important details to note:

The boundary now encompasses the Lower Willamette River from the Sellwood Bridge to its confluence with the Columbia, to include Multnomah Channel from its confluence with the Willamette to the Sauvie Island Bridge. The original advisory covered only the Portland Harbor study area from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Fremont Bridge.

Meal recommendations for resident fish and shellfish in the Lower Willamette

Fish Species	Meals per Month
Bass	0
Carp	0
Brown bullhead	0
Black crappie	2
All other resident fish	0
Invertebrate Species	Meals per Month
Crayfish	2
Clams	0
Mussels	7

It is illegal to harvest or possess any freshwater mussels or clams and fines could be charged. (Meal recommendations for clams and mussels are provided in the event these shellfish are harvested or possessed illegally, and for tribal member information. Tribes have reserved treaty rights to harvest. )

A meal is about the size and thickness of your or your child’s hand, or 1 ounce of uncooked fish for every 20 pounds of body weight.

The number above for Black crappie is for whole body consumption. If only the fillet is eaten the meal recommendation is 4.