DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisory for Ducks Harvested on Green Bay

The Wisconsin DNR and DHS have issued new consumption advice for mallards and wood ducks harvested on Green Bay. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) today announced a new consumption advisory for mallards and wood ducks harvested on Green Bay due to the contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Based on PFAS testing results in the region, the DNR and DHS have issued consumption advisories for two different areas of the bay.
- Lower Green Bay from Longtail Point across to Point au Sable and south to the mouth of the Fox River
- Mallards: Do Not Eat
- Green Bay from the city of Marinette across to Sturgeon Bay and south to Longtail Point
- Mallards: 1 meal per month
- Wood ducks: 1 meal per week
This advisory is in effect immediately, and hunters should be aware of this for the fall hunting season.
Waterfowl were first collected from Green Bay in 2022 to evaluate the existing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) consumption advisory in lower Green Bay. An additional assessment of PFAS concentrations in breast muscle tissue was included in this effort. In 2023 and 2024, additional duck breast muscle samples were collected. All testing occurred between the months of July and August, increasing the likelihood that the birds were representative of local breeding populations.
Based on these results, the DNR worked with DHS to develop new PFAS-based consumption guidelines for ducks.
Following wildlife consumption advisories will help prevent the consumption of PFAS-contaminated tissue, which can cause the chemicals to accumulate in the body. The DNR’s Consumption Advisories and PFAS webpage has a complete list of up-to-date PFAS-based consumption advisories in Wisconsin.
Information About PFAS
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been used for decades in various products, such as non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of firefighting foams. These contaminants have made their way into the environment in a variety of ways, including spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants and the use of certain types of firefighting foams.
Health risks may increase when fish and wildlife with high levels of PFAS are consumed. These can include increased cholesterol levels, decreased immune response and decreased fertility in women, among other health effects. More information is available on the DHS website.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the PFAS Problem
- DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisory for Ducks Harvested on Green Bay - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 4th, 2025
- DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisories for Fish and Deer Near town of Stella and Surrounding Waterbodies in Oneida County - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 4th, 2025
- Groundwater Coordinating Council Releases 2025 Report to the Legislature - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 2nd, 2025
- Environmental Groups, Community Advocates Push for PFAS Deal - Henry Redman - Jul 14th, 2025
- Environmental Advocates Hail Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision in Evers v Marklein - Midwest Environmental Advocates - Jul 8th, 2025
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs State Regulators of PFAS Pollution - Danielle Kaeding and Rich Kremer - Jun 24th, 2025
- Gov. Evers Releases Statement on Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision in WMC Inc v. DNR - Gov. Tony Evers - Jun 24th, 2025
- Rep. Shelia Stubbs Elected Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus Vice Chair of the Task Force on Emerging Contaminants - State Rep. Shelia Stubbs - Jun 16th, 2025
- Legislature’s Budget Committee Unanimously Boosts Clean Water Funding By $732 Million - Danielle Kaeding - Jun 6th, 2025
- Trump Administration moves to weaken standards for toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water - Clean Wisconsin - May 14th, 2025
Read more about PFAS Problem here