Alaska’s water quality standards are supposed to be based in part on how much fish we eat. In reality, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation uses a Fish Consumption Rate of just 6.5 grams per day (we checked, it’s like one bite). That means our water quality standards aren’t designed to be protective of our health like we deserve. They should be.
There’s actually abundant data about how much fish (and other foods from the ocean) Alaskans eat, but we need to make sure ADEC knows we need realistic, science-based criteria to determine our Water Quality Standards.
One way to get ADEC’s attention is to share your catches and meals on social media and show them how Alaskans really eat. Join us in using the hashtag #myFCR and tagging ADEC.
SHARE #MyFCR ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Share your meals and catches on social media and use hashtag #MyFCR, let’s show ADEC how much fish real Alaskans eat!
Hashtags
#myFCR #CleanWater
#WildSalmonDay (on August 10)
#Alaska #AlaskaSeafood … whatever works well for your organization or region!
Tag ADEC when possible
@Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (Facebook)
@AlaskaDEC (Twitter/X)
The Environmental Protection Agency agrees: Alaska needs to up its standards. They’ve given ADEC 6-12 months to create new Water Quality Standards that better reflect Alaskans’ diets.
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game and a number of Tribes have collected data on the quantity and diversity of seafood consumed by Alaskans — there’s no reason to use a rate of 6.5 grams per day, a number that clearly doesn’t represent how Alaskans eat.
For too long, Alaskans’ lives — especially those who rely on traditional foods, such as fish and marine mammals, as the basis for their physical, cultural, and spiritual sustenance — have been put at risk by the State of Alaska’s failure to update its Water Quality Standards
