DETROIT - On April 29, informational signage will be posted at many sites along the Detroit River to aid anglers in identifying the types of fish that are safe to eat from the river, as well as which to avoid.

Due to increased chemical contamination in the Detroit River, several fish, including catfish and carp, are unsafe to eat, especially for children and women ages 15 to 45.

\"The Detroit River is under several fish consumption advisories that impact both human health and economic revenue,\" said Donna Kashian, assistant professor of biological sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at WSU. \"Little progress has been made in developing effective strategies to aid anglers in understanding consumption advisories. The new signage is a great first step in promoting the status of fish contaminant levels in the Detroit River, ultimately reducing human health risks.\"

Sites for the signage were identified by a large cohort of collaborators, including WSU, the Friends of the Detroit River, the Michigan Department of Community Health, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, Detroit Recreation Department, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment\'s Fisheries Division, Michigan Sea Grant, University of Toledo and Wayne County Public Health Department.

Signage also identifies lakes in the Detroit area where anglers can catch catfish and carp that are less contaminated and safer to eat than those found in the Detroit River. In addition, the signs show how to cut fat from the fillets, which helps remove some of the chemical contamination.

Kashian\'s research project, \"What are the causes, consequences and correctives of fish contamination in the Detroit River AOC [area of concern] that cause health consumption advisories?\" was funded by the Michigan Sea Grant.

Members of the media and public are invited to Riverside Park near the Ambassador Bridge at 4:15 p.m. on April 29 to meet with experts about contamination levels in the Detroit River and view the new signage being installed. For more information about this event, call the Michigan Department of Community Health at 1-800-648-6942.

Wayne State University is one of the nation\'s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.