Are the fish safe to eat?
The presence of E. coli in waters does not directly affect fish consumption, however, when fishing it is often difficult to avoid some contact with the water. Any primary contact with water that has elevated E. coli levels increases the likelihood that a person may be exposed to or accidentally ingest water from the river or stream. This is especially true if the person has open cuts or wounds or if eating or drinking is involved. Fish consumption advisories are issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR) and are based on an analysis of chemical and metal concentrations in fish tissue: