Fish Consumption Guidance

Fish Consumption Guidance

Site Specific Fish Consumption Advice

The GNWT works in partnership with the Federal Government to test for contaminants and human health risks in most NWT rivers and lakes on a yearly basis.

Below you will find fish consumption guidelines for the following lakes and rivers. 

Akaitcho Region

Dehcho Region

Sahtu Region

Yellowknife Region

Precautionary recommendations have been provided not to consume fish from certain lakes in the Yellowknife area due to environmental contaminants in water in the absence of data on contaminant levels in fish. As new information on fish becomes available, this advice may change. For details on these lakes, please see the public health advisory here:

The Department of Health and Social Services does not conduct environmental monitoring of contaminants in wildlife and the environment; however, it engages with research programs such as the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) and the Cumulative Impacts Monitoring Program (CIMP) to maintain an awareness of current research and emerging information so that public health messaging can be updated when necessary. Additional research and monitoring is conducted by various agencies, including Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and independent researchers. For more information on environmental research and monitoring in the NWT, please see:

You can also view the NWT Map showing fish consumption notices by clicking on the following link:

    For information on fish species, daily catch limits and general fishing regulations please read the following:

    For questions concerning contaminants and public health please contact:

    Environmental Health
    Department of Health and Social Services
    Government of the Northwest Territories
    P.O. Box 1320
    Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
    Phone: 867-767-9066 ext. 49262 
    Fax: 867-669-7517
    Email: environmental_health@gov.nt.ca

    For questions concerning contaminants and occupational health and safety please contact:

    Workers Safety and Compensation Commission
    Box 8888, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R3
    Phone: (867) 920-3888
    Toll-Free: (800) 661-0792
    Fax: (867) 873-4596
    Toll-Free Fax: (866) 277-3677
    Website: www.wscc.nt.ca