One of the results of dumping industrial wastes into the river is the deposition of heavy metals and other contaminants such as PCBs and other synthetic organic contaminants. Once ingested by the organisms at the bottom of the food chain, they make their way up into the fatty portions of edible fish. People are advised that, while fish are an important food, consumption of certain species of fish from certain waters should be limited, and populations such as women who plan to become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and small children should eat none of these specific fishes. People should choose smaller rather than larger fish, choose leaner fish rather than fattier fish such as Channel Catfish and Carp, and when cooking, remove all the skin, trim off fatty areas, and cook so that the fat drips away.

ORSANCO publishes a map of the fish advisories along the Ohio. All of the states along the Ohio River have fish advisories for some Ohio River fish.

Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public Health Advisory: 2015 Fish Consumption

West Virginia: WV Statewide Consumption Advisories – FISH

Ohio: 2015 Ohio Sport Fish Health and Consumption Advisory

Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory

Kentucky: Fish Consumption Advisories

Indiana: Fish Consumption Advisory

Angling Indiana – FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORY

Illinois: Illinois Fish Advisory