6100-070 National Fish Program Evaluation

Appendix A

Draft National Fish Advisory Program Evaluation

OMB Control Number 2040-0226 Approval Expires XX/XX/XX

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Voluntary Information Collection for the

National Fish Advisory Program Evaluation

EPA is collecting the following information from states¹ and tribes on a voluntary basis, once during the three-year period of this ICR. Specifically, EPA is interested in fish program information for the National Fish Advisory Program Evaluation, from state or tribal agencies responsible for issuing noncommercial (sportfishing/subsistence) fish/shellfish advisories or closures for chemical contamination in fish and shellfish.

EPA aims to advance efforts to support equity and environmental justice in fish advisory programs by ensuring that recreational and subsistence fishers and other underserved populations are protected from consumption of contaminated fish. EPA will analyze the collected information to determine what science, guidance, technical assistance, and nationwide information are needed to help state and tribes have equitable and effective fish advisory programs. In addition, EPA will also use the information provided to facilitate information sharing and to ensure guidance documents are useful and technically accurate.

EPA greatly appreciates your assistance and thanks you for your continued support of USEPA’s National Fish Program. For questions regarding this program evaluation, please contact CDR Samantha Fontenelle at [email protected].

Sara Hisel-McCoy

Director, Standards and Health Protection Division

Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Agency Name

Agency Address

Respondent’s Name

Respondent’s E-mail Address

Respondent’s Phone Number

Fish Tissue Monitoring Program

1. Did your state or tribal agency conduct routine monitoring in the last three years to obtain information about the concentrations of contaminants in fish tissue for assessing human health risks?

__ Yes __ No __Not applicable

2. What kind of data does your state or tribal agency collect to evaluate contaminant levels in fish? (Please check all that apply.)

__ Captures fish and sends tissues to a lab to determine contaminant concentrations

__ Monitors water quality and uses data to estimate contaminant concentrations in fish

__ Monitor sediments and uses data to estimate contaminant concentrations in fish

__ Other methods (please specify)

__ Not applicable

3. How does your state or tribe conduct monitoring of contaminants in fish tissue for fish advisories? (Please check all that apply)

__ Conducts one-time, nonrecurring or special surveys in particular fishing areas, watersheds, or basins

__ Monitors the same fishing areas, watersheds, or basins at regular intervals

__ Other methods (please specify)

__ Not applicable

4. In the last three years, please estimate the number of stations from which your state or tribal agency collected fish tissue that was analyzed for contaminants and/or was used for the fish advisory program.

__ 0 stations __ 31-50 stations

__ 1-10 stations __ 51-100 stations

__ 11-20 stations __ >100 stations

__ 21-30 stations __ Not applicable

5. How frequently does your state or tribe typically resample fish from waterbodies where advisories are in effect?

__ Every year

__ Every 2 years

__ Every 3 years

__ Every 4 years

__ Every 5 years

__ Every 6 to 10 years

__ On an as-needed basis (no set schedule)

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

6. In approximately how many waterbodies was fish tissue monitoring conducted within your state or tribe in the last three years?

__ 1-10 waterbodies

__ 11-20 waterbodies

__ 21-30 waterbodies

__ 31-40 waterbodies

__ >40 (specify number) (please specify)

__ Not applicable

7. Please check how your state or tribe determines which sites to monitor contaminants in fish tissue (Please check all that apply)

__	Accessibility of site	__	Fixed-station sites
__	Area of concern	__	High pollution potential at the site
__	Citizen or Agency request	__	Major fishery resource
__ __	Degree of angling pressure the site receives Other method (please specify)	__	Randomly selected sites __ Not Applicable

Answers to questions 8 through 11 should be based on your Agency’s evaluation of fish tissue monitoring data. Sediment analysis or water quality monitoring data may be included in your evaluation only if they are used as the basis for determining when an advisory is needed. Note: For these questions, you may need to consult with other individuals in your state or tribal organization.

8. How many river, stream, or canal miles were monitored at least once during the last three years specifically for the fish advisory program?

miles

9. How many lake or reservoir acres were monitored at least once during the past three years specifically for the fish advisory program?

acres

10. How many square miles of estuarine waters were monitored at least once during the past three years specifically for the fish advisory program?

square miles

11. How many miles of marine coastline (coastal waters) were monitored at least once during the past three years specifically for the fish advisory program?

miles

Types of Fish Advisories

12. Does your state or tribe issue fish consumption advisories advising individuals to restrict fish consumption for a particular waterbody?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

13. Does your state or tribe issue fish consumption advisories advising individuals not to consume any fish or any fish of a particular species from a particular waterbody?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

14. Fish consumption advisories issued in your state or tribe pertain to: (Please check all that apply)

__ Specific fish species analyzed by the state (e.g., largemouth bass)

__ Specified size class(es) for the given species analyzed (e.g., largemouth bass 15-20 inches)

__ Selected trophic groups (e.g., game fish, bottom feeders, or panfish)

__ The entire fish community (e.g., all fish)

__ Certain fish species purchased in stores and restaurants

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

15. Does your state or tribe issue statewide or regionwide or tribal area-wide “blanket” advisories based on your sampling effort? (A regionwide advisory may be issued for an individual HUC, river drainage basin or portion of the state.)

    State or tribe wide:	__ Yes	__ No	__ Not applicable
    Regionwide:	__ Yes	__ No	__ Not applicable

16. Are there enforceable advisories or bans within your state or tribe (e.g., are fines or citations given for fishing in posted waters)?

__ Yes __ No

17. Does your state or tribe issue fish and/or shellfish advisories (closures) for microbial contamination (e.g., bacteria or viruses) of a waterbody?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

18. Does your state or tribe also issue fish and/or shellfish advisories (closures) for algal toxin contamination (e.g., cyanotoxins) of a waterbody?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

Sample Preparation and Analyses Procedures

19. Fish consumption advisories (“no” consumption and/or restricted consumption advisories) issued in your state or tribe are based on the analysis of: (Please check all that apply)

__ Fillet samples (skin on)

__ Fillet samples (skin off)

__ Muscle plug samples

__ Whole-fish samples (skin on)

__ Whole-fish samples (skin off)

__ Other sample types (please specify)

__ Not applicable

20. Does your state or tribe target the collection of particular indicator fish/shellfish species, and on what is this decision based? (Please check all that apply)

__ State/Tribe does not target collection of indicator species

__ State/Tribes targets collection of indicator species based on:

__ Angler survey data

__ Availability of the species

__ Desire to maintain consistency with past collections

__ EPA target species recommendations based on bioaccumulation potential/trophic groups

__ Citizen requests

__ Other reasons (please specify)

__ Not applicable

21. Which particular indicator fish species does your state or tribe target for monitoring?

(Please specify)____________________________________________________________________________

22. Does your state or tribe collect multiple size classes, by species, and submit these individual size classes for contaminant analyses?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

23. Are individual fish samples or composite samples submitted for contaminant analyses in your state or tribe?

__ Individual fish samples only

__ Composite samples only

__ Both individual and composite samples are used

__ Not applicable

24. If individual fish samples are used, how many “individual fish” typically are needed to support an advisory determination in a waterbody?

__ 1 fish

__ 3 fish

__ 5 fish

__ 6 to 10 fish

__ 11 to 20 fish

__ > 20 fish

__ Other number (please specify)

__ Not applicable; state uses only composite fish samples

25. If composite samples are used, how many “individual fish” typically are combined in each state or tribal composite samples for contaminant analysis?

__ 2 fish

__ 3 fish

__ 4 fish

__ 5 fish

__ Other number (please specify)

__ Not applicable; state uses only individual fish samples

26. If composite samples are used, how many composite samples are needed to support an advisory determination in a waterbody?

__ 1 composite sample __ 2 composite samples __ 3 composite samples

__ Variable; no set number

__ Other number (please specify)

__ Not applicable; state uses only individual fish samples

27. Assuming your state or tribe finds contaminant levels in fish/shellfish in exceedance of its benchmark or screening level, how many years of sampling are required at a given waterbody before a fish consumption advisory can be issued?

__ 1 year

__ 2 years

__ 3 or more years

__ Site-specific decision; no set time period established

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

28. Once an advisory is issued for a specific waterbody, what must occur for the state or tribe to rescind the advisory?

__ Contaminant levels of the chemical must decline below the benchmark or screening level for at least 1 year

__ Contaminant levels of the chemical must decline below the benchmark or screening level for at least 2 years

__ Contaminant levels of the pollutant must decline below the benchmark or screening level for at least 3 years

__ Site-specific decision; no set time period established

__ Other schedule or procedure (please specify)

__ Not applicable

29. In the last three years, please estimate the number of fish tissue samples that were submitted for chemical analyses by your state or tribal agency?

__ <20 samples

__ 21-30 samples

__ 31-40 samples

__ 41-50 samples

__ 51-60 samples

__ >60 samples (please specify number)

__ Not applicable

30. What pollutants did your state or tribe screen for in fish tissue samples in the last three years? (Please check all that apply)

__ Aldrin

__ Arsenic

__ Cadmium

__ Chlordane __ Chlorpyrifos __ Chromium __ DDT and its

metabolites

__ Diazinon

__ Dicofol

__ Dieldrin

__ Dioxins/Furans

__ Disulfoton

__ Endosulfan

__ Endrin

__ Ethion

__ Heptachlor or Heptachlor epoxide

__ Hexachlorobenzene

__ Lead

__ Lindane

__ Mercury

__ Methoxychlor

__ Mirex

__ Nonachlor __ Oxyfluorfen __ PAHs

__ PCBs

__ PFAS

__ Pentachloroanisole

__ Selenium

__ Terbufos __ Toxaphene __ Tributyltin __ Trifluralin

__ Other (please specify)

31. Of the pollutants listed, which ones are of primary human health concern in your state or tribal waters (specify up to 5 pollutants).

__ Aldrin

__ Arsenic

__ Cadmium

__ Chlordane __ Chlorpyrifos __ Chromium __ DDT and its

metabolites

__ Diazinon

__ Dicofol

__ Dieldrin

__ Dioxins/Furans

__ Disulfoton

__ Endosulfan

__ Endrin

__ Ethion

__ Heptachlor or Heptachlor epoxide

__ Hexachlorobenzene

__ Lead

__ Lindane

__ Mercury

__ Methoxychlor

__ Mirex

__ Nonachlor __ Oxyfluorfen __ PAHs

__ PCBs

__ PFAS

__ Pentachloroanisole

__ Selenium

__ Terbufos __ Toxaphene __ Tributyltin __ Trifluralin

__ Other (please specify)

32. If your state or tribe analyzes for PCBs, what specifically is analyzed? (Please check all that apply)

__ Individual congeners

__ All 209 congeners

__ All Aroclor groups

__ Selected Aroclor groups

__ A combination of both Aroclors and congeners

__ Others (please specify)

__ Not applicable

33. If your state or tribe analyzes for PFAS, which PFAS compound specifically is

analyzed? Check all that apply.

__ Perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA)

__ Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)

__ Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)

__ Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)

__ Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)

__ Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)

__ Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

__ Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

__ Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA)

__ Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)

__ Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)

__ Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)

__ Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)

__ Other (please specify)_____________________________________________________________

State or Tribal Fish Advisory Program Funding

34. How many dollars are spent annually in your state or tribe on routine fish tissue field collection activities?

__ <$1,000 __ $10,000 to $24,999

__ $1,000 to $4,999 __ $25,000 to $50,000

__ $5,000 to $9,999 __ >$50,000 (please specify)

__ Not applicable

35. What was the funding source for your state or tribal fish tissue collection activities in the last three years? (Please check all that apply)

__ State or tribal general funds

__ State or tribal fishing license revenues

__ State or tribal sales tax

__ EPA Section 106 funds

__ EPA Section 205j funds

__ EPA Region funds

__ EPA Grant funds

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

36. How many dollars are spent annually in your state or tribe on laboratory analyses of fish tissue samples?

__ <$1,000 __ $10,000 to $24,999

__ $1,000 to $4,999 __ $25,000 to $50,000

__ $5,000 to $9,999 __ >$50,000 (please specify)

__ Not applicable

37. What was the funding source for your state or tribal laboratory analyses of fish tissue samples in the last three years? (Please check all that apply)

__ State or tribal general funds

__ State or tribal fishing license revenues

__ State or tribal sales tax

__ EPA Section 106 funds

__ EPA Section 205j funds

__ EPA Region funds

__ EPA Grant funds

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

38. If no funding is currently available, is your state or tribe seeking funding to conduct a fish tissue monitoring and assessment program?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

Other Uses of State or Tribal Advisory Data

39. For your state or tribal biennial 305(b) water quality report, what assignment is made for a waterbody with a fish consumption advisory?

    __	Fully supporting	__	Threatened
    __	Partially supporting	__	Not supporting
    __	No assessments were made	__	Not applicable

40. If fish consumption advisories have been issued for waterbodies in your state or tribe, does your state or tribe place these waterbodies on the 303(d) list of impaired waters?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

41. Is “fish consumption” an assigned designated use for waters in your state or tribe?

__ Yes __ No

Risk Assessment Methodology

42. What method(s) does your state or tribe currently use to calculate “carcinogenic” health risks and issue advisories for individuals who consume fish harvested from state or tribal waters? (Please specify all current methods used)

__ EPA Fish Advisory Guidance Document

__ State or Tribal developed risk assessment methodology

__ Great Lakes Consortium Protocols and Best Practices for Uniform Fish Advisories

__ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action levels

__ None

__ Other approach (please specify)

__ Not applicable

43. What carcinogenic risk level (i.e., individual risk within an exposed population) does your state or tribe use to issue advisories?

__ 1:10,000 (10^-4)

__ 1:100,000 (10^-5)

__ 1:1,000,000(10^-6)

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

44. What source(s) does your state or tribe use to obtain cancer potency factors to help calculate “carcinogenic” health risks? (Please check all that apply)

__ ATSDR Toxicological Profiles

__ EPA Fish Advisory Guidance Document

__ EPA Health Effects Assessment Summary Table (HEAST)

__ EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

__ Great Lakes Consortium Protocols and Best Practices for Uniform Fish Advisories

__ Hazardous Substance Data Bank (HSDB)/PubChem

__ International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs

__ Other sources (please specify)

__ Not applicable

45. What method(s) does your state or tribe currently use to calculate “noncarcinogenic” benchmarks or screening levels for issuing fish advisories for individuals who consume fish harvested from state or tribal waters? (Please specify all current methods used)

__ EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

__ EPA Fish Advisory Guidance Document

__ ATSDR Toxicological Profiles

__ FDA Action Levels

__ Great Lakes Consortium Protocols and Best Practices for Uniform Fish Advisories

__ Other approach (please specify)

__ Not applicable

__ None

46. If your state or tribe does not calculate its own benchmark or screening levels, what noncarcinogenic benchmark or screening level (i.e., individual risk within an exposed population) does your state use to issue advisories?

__ Hazard index (please specify if hazard index is >, =, or < 1)

__ FDA action levels

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

47. What source(s) does your state or tribe use to obtain reference dose to help calculate noncarcinogenic health benchmark or screening level? (Please check all that apply)

__ ATSDR Toxicological Profiles

__ EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

__ EPA Health Effects Assessment Summary Table (HEAST)

__ EPA Fish Advisory Guidance Document

__ Great Lakes Consortium Protocols and Best Practices for Uniform Fish Advisories

__ Hazardous Substance Data Bank (HSDB)/PubChem

__ Other sources (please specify)

__ Not applicable

48. Of all the fish advisories currently in effect in your jurisdiction, including those issued last year and in earlier years, what percentage were issued based on each of these methods?

(Please provide your best estimate of the percentage for each method)

__ % of advisories now in effect were issued using EPA Fish Advisory Guidance document

__ % of advisories now in effect were issued using FDA action levels.

__ % of advisories now in effect were issued using state or tribal methods specified in question 42

__ % of advisories now in effect were issued using other methods specified in question 42 and 44

__ Not applicable

49. What default value does your state or tribe use in the risk assessments as a daily fish consumption rate for recreational fishers?

__ 6.5 g/day

__ 17.5 g/day

__ 22 g/day

__ 32 g/day (a nutritionally y focused fish consumption rate consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, equivalent to one eight-ounce meal of fish and shellfish per week)

__ 142 g/day (fish consumption rate for “high consumers” described in the EPA 2000 Human Health Methodology)

__ 175 g/day (fish consumption rate used by EPA and some states for high frequency consumers or subsistence fishers in the Pacific Northwest)

__ Other consumption rates (please specify value in g/day)

__ Not applicable

50. What default value does your state or tribe use in the risk assessments as a daily fish consumption rate for subsistence or high frequency fish consumers?

__ 6.5 g/day

__ 17.5 g/day

__ 22 g/day

__ 32 g/day (a nutritionally focused fish consumption rate consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, equivalent to one eight-ounce meal of fish and shellfish per week)

__ 142 g/day (fish consumption rate for “high consumers” described in the EPA 2000 Human Health Methodology)

__ 175 g/day (fish consumption rate used by EPA and some states/tribes for high frequency consumers or subsistence fishers in the Pacific Northwest in the Water Quality Standards Program)

__ Other consumption rates (please specify value in g/day)

__ Not applicable

51. What default value does your state or tribe use in the risk assessments as a daily fish consumption rate for children?

__ 2.0 g/day

__ 4.0 g/day

__ 6.5 g/day

__ Other consumption rates (please specify value in g/day)

__ Not applicable

52. What default value does your state or tribe use for exposure duration in its cancer risk assessments?

__ 30 years

__ 70 years

__ 75 years

__ Other exposure duration (please specify value in years)

__ Not applicable

53. What default value does your state or tribe use to estimate life expectancy in its risk assessments?

__ 70 years

__ 75 years

__ 80 years

__ Other life expectancy (please specify value in years)

__ Not applicable

54. Does your state or tribe recommend a meal frequency format or number of meals over time in its advisories (e.g., number of meals per month or meals per week)?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

55. What number of meals over time (e.g., per month) does your state or tribe use in its advisories?

__ 1 meal per week

__ 4 meals per month

__ Other (please specify) _________________

56. If the response to question 54 is yes, what assumption does your state or tribe make in its risk assessments about meal size or portion for adults? (Please specify all that apply)

__ 4 oz (114 g)

__ 8 oz (227 g)

__ 12 oz (341 g)

__ 16 oz (454 g)

__ Other (please specify value in grams)

__ Not applicable

57. If the response to question 54 is yes, what assumption does your state or tribe make in its risk assessments about meal size or portion for children? (Please specify all that apply)

__ 4 oz (114 g)

__ 8 oz (227 g)

__ 12 oz (341 g)

__ 16 oz (454 g)

__ Other (please specify value in grams)

__ Not applicable

58. What default value does your state or tribe use for body weight of an average adult consumer in its risk assessments?

__ 80 kg

__ 71 kg

__ 70 kg

__ 71 kg

__ 65 kg

__ Other weight (please specify value in kg)

__ Not applicable

59. What default value does your state or tribe use for body weight of a pregnant person and nursing mothers in its risk assessments?

__ 80 kg

__ 75 kg

__ 70 kg

__ 65 kg

__ 62 kg

__ Other weight (please specify value in kg)

__ Not applicable

60. What default value does your state or tribe use for body weight of a child in its risk assessments?

__ 10 kg

__ 14.5 kg

__ 15.5 kg

__ Other weight (please specify value in kg) ________________________________________________

__ Risk assessments not conducted for children

__ Not applicable

61. Please specify what age range or ranges your state or tribe uses to calculate risk with respect to children. (Please specify all age ranges used in your state’s risk assessments for children.)

__ <1 year

__ <6 years

__ <7 years

__ <12 years

__ <15 years

__ <18 years

__ Other age ranges (please specify)

__ Risk assessments not conducted for children

__ Not applicable

62. Does your state or tribal agency have a plan to reevaluate data from sites where outdated assessment methods were used to issue fish advisories?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

63. Is your state or tribe currently re-evaluating the overall method or approach used to establish fish advisories?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

64. What assumption does your state make in its risk assessments about the amount of the pollutant absorbed by the body after ingestion (percent absorption by the gut) (e.g., in pharmacokinetic modeling)?

__ 100% for all pollutants

__ 75% for all pollutants

__ 50% for all pollutants

__ Chemical-specific % based on available data

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

65. Does your state or tribe use “contaminant reduction factors” in its risk calculations to account for contaminant losses of PCBs and other organochlorine pollutants from fish tissues during cleaning, preparation, and cooking of the fish?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

66. If yes, what are the pollutants and their associated contaminant reduction factors (% reduction in pollutant level resulting from cleaning, preparing, and cooking of fish) assumed by your state or tribe?

__ % chlordane

__ % DDE

__ % DDT

__ % dieldrin

__ % heptachlor epoxide

__ Not applicable

__ % mercury

__ % mirex

__ % total PCBs

__ % toxaphene

__ % other (please specify) ___________________

67. If contaminant reduction factors are used, what are their basis?

__ EPA Fish Advisory Guidance Documents

__ Great Lakes Consortium Protocols and Best Practices for Uniform Fish Advisories

__ Scientific literature review

__ Conducted own research

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

68. Is relative source contribution (RSC) used to account for other sources or pathways of exposure (e.g., drinking water, other foods) used in fish advisories?

__ Yes __ No

69. If the response to question 68 is yes, specify the RSC used for the following contaminants:

______Hg ______PCBs ______PFAS

70. How does your state or tribe evaluate health risks for fish samples contaminated with multiple chemicals with the same human health endpoints (e.g., two organochlorine pesticides)?

__ Cumulative risk (add individual contaminant risks from each chemical together)

__ Calculate single contaminant risk based on the most conservative carcinogenic risk or noncancer benchmark value

__ Either cumulative risk or single contaminant risk depending on the chemicals involved

__ Other method (please specify)

__ State or tribe does not evaluate health risks for multiple contaminants

__ Not applicable

71. Regarding mercury, does your state or tribe use the EPA RfD (0.1 ug/kg/day) for different populations (i.e., for women of child-bearing age, children and adults in the general population)?

__ Yes __ No (specify, women of child-bearing age) _____________________

(specify, children)_____________________

(specify, adults in the general population) _____________________

72. Regarding PFOS, does your state or tribe use the EPA RfD (0.02 ug/kg/day)?

__ Yes __ No (specify)_____________________

73. Does your state or tribe use the cancer or non-cancer value for PCBs in fish advisories?

__ Cancer __ Non-cancer __ Other (please specify)_____________ __ Not applicable

74. When your state or tribe receives method detection limits (MDLs) as the reportable concentration for contaminants from the laboratory, what value are used for non-detects in your risk assessment?

__ Zero

__ Pollutant’s MDL

__ Half the pollutant’s MDL

__ Other value (please specify)

__ Maximum likelihood indicator

__ Not applicable

75. Does your state or tribe screen for some or all of the PFAS compounds in question 33 (excluding PFOS and PFOA) in its fish tissue samples?

__ Yes __ No

76. What risk assessment method does your state or tribe use for these PFAS compounds since there are no associated reference doses developed by EPA? (Please specify assessment method used)

__ Not applicable

Targeting Fish Consumers

77. Are health risks being assessed by your state or tribe for target groups of people who may consume higher amounts of fish or prepare fish differently than the general population?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

78. Has your state or tribe identified the primary waterbodies fished by these target population(s)?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

79. Has your state or tribe made efforts to identify the fish species and the sizes of fish consumed by these target populations?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

80. If yes, has your state or tribe used any of the following procedures to obtain information from these target populations? (Please check all that apply)

__ Local fish consumption surveys (creel surveys)

__ Fishing license surveys

__ Anecdotal information from populations of interest

__ Behavioral risk surveillance surveys funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

__ Other (please specify) _____________________________________________________________________

__ Not applicable

81. Has your state or tribe altered its monitoring approach to address the needs of these target populations?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

82. If your state or tribe has altered its monitoring approach to address the needs of these target populations, what actions have been taken? (Please check all that apply)

__ Added stations in waterbodies where the targeted populations frequently fish

__ Collected species consumed by the target populations for contaminant analyses

__ Other actions (please specify)

__ Not applicable

83. If your state or tribe is not currently addressing the concerns of populations with a perceived higher risk, is there a plan to do so in the future?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

Risk Management

84. Who prepares risk assessments on behalf of your state or tribal fish advisory program? (Please check all that apply)

__ State or Tribal Environmental Agency/Department

__ State or Tribal Public Health Agency/Department

__ State or Tribal Fisheries Agency/Department

__ Consultant

__ University

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

85. Does your state or tribe have written procedures for evaluating the health risks associated with consumption of contaminated fish?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

86. Does your state or tribe have a group or committee that oversees the fish advisory program/processes?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

87. If the answer to question 86 is yes, what professional disciplines are represented on that committee? (Please check all that apply)

__ Toxicology/epidemiology

__ Fisheries biologist

__ Water pollution assessment/control

__ Hazardous waste management

__ Analytical chemist

__ Risk communication

__ Other disciplines (please specify)

__ Not applicable

88. Who in your state or tribe makes the ultimate risk management decision to issue, modify, or rescind fish advisories?

__ Head of Environmental Agency/Department

__ Head of Public Health Agency/Department

__ Head of Fisheries Agency/Department

__ Governor’s Office or Tribal Chief’s/President’s Office

__ Other (please specify)

__ Not applicable

Risk Communication Procedures

89. Is your state or tribe aware of recently released update to EPA’s Risk Communication Guidance (Volume 4) ?

__ Yes __ No

90. If your response to question 89 is yes, is the guidance useful?

__ Yes __ No

Provide Comments:_________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

91. How often does your Agency revise the fish consumption advisory listings and release the information to the public? (Please check all that apply)

__ Annually; released on (specify date: Day/Month)

__ Whenever data become available (on an as-needed basis)

__ Other schedules (please specify)

__ Not applicable

92. How are your Agency's fish advisories communicated to the public? (Please check all that apply)

__ Social Media (specify)________________________

__ Mailed to public upon request

__ Press releases distributed to media sources

__ Targeted newspaper stories

__ Published articles in ethnic newspapers

__ Videos for ethnic groups

__ Radio announcements

__ Television announcements __ Radio/television talk shows

___Podcasts

__ Internet site

__ Agency telephone information service (i.e., hotlines)

__ Agency magazine

__ Posted signs (at boat launches, stream access points, public docks, etc.)

__ Posted information where fishing licenses issued __ Posters in public places (libraries, town halls, etc) __ Annual fishing regulations booklet

__ Generic statewide listing booklet separate from fishing regulations

__ Printed pamphlets or fact sheets

__ Information presented at public meetings

__ Publication of articles in state medical journal

__ Publication of articles in agency annual monitoring report

__ Publication of information in state 305(b) report

__ Flyers distributed with trout and salmon stamps

__ GIS maps posted

__ Other methods (please specify)

__ Not applicable

93. Where can the public obtain copies of your agency’s printed advisory materials? (Please check all that apply)

__ Local public health departments

__ State or tribal public health departments

__ State or tribal Internet site

__ Other State agencies

__ Doctors' offices

__ Local businesses (e.g., hair styling salons)

__ Businesses that issue fishing licenses (e.g., bait and tackle shops)

__ WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) clinics

__ Welfare offices

__ Organizations (e.g., sporting or women's clubs)

__ Tourist offices

__ State or tribal fisheries offices

__ Town halls

__ Law enforcement officers

__ Other sources (please specify)

__ Not applicable

94. Does your state or tribal fish advisory outreach or communication plan specifically target some populations to receive advisory information?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

95. If yes, please identify all targeted populations. (Please check all that apply)

__ Sport fishers

__ Subsistence fishers

__ Specific racial/ethnic groups (please specify)

__ Women of child-bearing age

__ Pregnant or nursing women

__ New parents

__ Tourists

__ Members of the general population

__ Others (please specify)

__ Not applicable

96. Are your state or tribal fish consumption advisories available to the public in languages other than English?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

If yes, please specify all languages that apply.
__	Alaskan native languages	__	Llacano
__	Bosnian	__	Ojibwa
__	Cambodian	__	Portuguese
__	Chinese	__	Russian
__	Creole	__	Spanish
__	Hmong	__	Tagalog
__	Japanese	__	Thai
__	Korean	__	Vietnamese
__	Laotian	__	Others (please specify)
		__	Not applicable

98. Does your state or tribe evaluate the effectiveness of the fish consumption advisories?

__ Yes __ No __ Not applicable

99. If yes, how is their effectiveness determined? (Please check all that apply)

__ Feedback form/postcard in regulation pamphlet

__ Questions included in creel census program

__ Questions included in state BRFS (Behavior Risk Factor Survey)

__ Focus groups

__ Mailed questionnaires (to whom?)

__ Telephone surveys (of whom?)

__ Other methods (please specify)

__ Not applicable

100. To your knowledge, have there been any studies in your state (including federal, tribal, and university-based studies) to evaluate the effectiveness of fish consumption advisories?

__ Don’t know

__ No

__ Yes (please specify)

101. To your knowledge, have there been any studies in your state (including federal, tribal, and university-based studies) to evaluate human tissue contaminant levels (e.g., in blood, urine, breast milk, or adipose tissues) or adverse human health effects related to fish consumption?

__ Don’t know

__ No

__ Yes (please specify organization or agency)

1 “States” in this document includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.