Fish harvested from the Moen Chain of lakes in Oneida County are no longer considered safe to eat.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Department of Health Services issued new consumption advisories for fish and deer in the Stella/Starks area of eastern Oneida County.
Private wells in the town of Stella tested positive for some of the highest concentrations of PFAS chemicals in drinking water in the country. The first detection was in 2022. Since then, more than 85 wells have tested positive for PFAS levels PFAS higher than the DHS recommended guidelines.
PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are used in a variety of non-stick products like cookware, raingear, and firefighting foam. They’ve been link to adverse health effects in people.
The DNR and DHS issued fish consumptions recommended people limit the number of fish they eat from the Moen Chain in early 2024.
Those guidelines were updated this week stating that people should not eat any fish, no matter the species, from the Moen Chain of Lakes (including Moen Lake, Second Lake, Third Lake, Fourth Lake, Fifth Lake), Sunset Lake, Starks Creek (upstream to and including Starks Spring) and Snowden Lake.
The DNR says fish were collected from the Moen Lake Chain and Snowden Lake in a sampling effort for contaminant monitoring. Results from these sampling efforts showed elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a type of PFAS, in the tissue of all fish sampled from these waterbodies.
Based on this and new consumption guidelines developed to reflect emerging science on PFOS, the DNR and DHS are recommending an updated advisory for the Moen Lake Chain and new advisories for Snowden Lake, Sunset Lake and Starks Creek upstream to Starks Spring.
Deer Consumption Advisory
The DNR and DHS have also issued new PFAS-based guidance for the consumption of deer harvested within a 5-mile radius of the Town of Stella's town hall. The new guidance for consuming muscle tissue from harvested deer in this area is one meal per month, and “Do Not Eat” for liver.
Due to the community's high interest in PFAS contamination near the Town of Stella, the DNR asked hunters within a 3-mile radius to donate muscle and liver samples from their harvests during the 2024 hunting season. A total of 11 deer were sampled, and the results were analyzed by the DNR and the DHS.
Testing showed elevated PFAS levels in the muscle (venison) of deer harvested from this area. Because of these findings, the DNR and DHS have issued a one-meal-per-month PFAS-based consumption advisory for deer muscle (venison) in a 5-mile radius around the Town of Stella's town hall.
Sampling results also showed significant PFAS levels in deer liver tissues. The liver filters chemicals from the blood, and some chemicals, like PFAS, can accumulate in the liver over time. These findings suggest that eating liver from deer in this area is likely to result in significant PFAS exposure. DHS and DNR recommend people not eat liver harvested from deer within the advisory area.
Following fish and wildlife consumption advisories will help protect you from consuming PFAS-contaminated tissue, which can cause the chemicals to accumulate in the body. A complete list of up-to-date fish consumption advisories can be found in the Choose Wisely booklet. More information on safe deer consumption can be found on the DNR’s Safely Eating Venison webpage.
