Environmental Justice and Fish Consumption Advisories
Abstract
Our research seeks to assess the efforts of scientists and policy-makers to mitigate risk of human exposure to contaminated fish. We will critique the success of such a process through the perspective of those who are most effected - the fish consumer. We seek to identify those who use the Detroit River as a food source, identify the reasons for their fishing, and how they perceive the risk of fish contamination. We will conduct surveys of anglers along the shores of the Detroit River on both the US and Canadian sides. We will then compare that information against insitutional actions around the Detroit River AOC, and related approaches to risk communication. Study results will be used to generate creative solutions that incorporate Environmental Justice theory and practice, and provide policy suggestions that will make consumption advisories more effective for the population it serves.

Objectives and Goals
  • Is there an environmental justice issue regarding fish consumption advisory information on the Detroit River?
  • Is the current fish advisory effective and does it reach all populations of anglers along the Detroit River?
  • Are institutional stakeholders aware of environmental justice issues and do they incorporate these factors into the fish advisory development process?

For more information, please contact fishadvise@umich.edu.