Local News
West Virginia Releases Less Restrictive Sport Fish Consumption Advisories Following Water Quality Improvement Efforts
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Health (DH), in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, has released the 2026 Sport Fish Consumption Advisories, which feature fewer restrictions this year due to improved state water quality that reinforces West Virginia’s position as a premier outdoor recreation destination. The annual consumption advisories help West Virginia anglers and their families make educated choices about eating the fish they catch from West Virginia waters. Based on a review of new and historic fish tissue data, West Virginia Sport Fish Advisories have changed for 2026. Key updates include the complete removal of the local advisory for black bass at Sutton Lake and a greatly relaxed advisory for smallmouth bass in the Shenandoah River, which now applies only to ...
