You should not eat them because they may contain pollutants that are risky for your health.
Analyzes carried out on fish caught in rivers have highlighted the presence of persistent chemical substances, known for their ability to accumulate in the environment. These compounds belong to the family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes called “perennial pollutants” because of their very high resistance to degradation.
Used in different industrial processes, these chemical compounds degrade very slowly and persist for a long time in the environment. They can thus accumulate in water, soil and living organisms. The first samples were taken as part of a request to increase activity at an industrial site. In accordance with regulations, the authorities then requested an analysis of natural environments in order to assess the presence of these substances in the river.
The results revealed varying concentrations depending on the species. Some had levels likely to exceed regulatory thresholds set for these persistent chemicals. Faced with these data, health authorities recommended that amateur fishermen not consume certain fish caught in the area concerned. New analyzes have since been carried out to refine the assessment. They show that several species now have levels below the regulatory thresholds currently in force. The general recommendation of non-consumption has therefore been lifted for several species, including pike, perch, catfish, roach, melanotfish and eel.
But four species remain not recommended for consumption: sun perch, round goby, bleak and juvenile chub, in accordance with the ARS Hauts-de-France press release. “The ARS Hauts-de-France recommends as a precaution to local fishermen not to consume these four species caught in the Oise river between Pont-Sainte-Maxence and Villers-Saint-Paul. All other species can be consumed. As the sector is not concerned by the marketing of fish, the recommendation only concerns recreational fishing for the four species above.”
The analyzes have in fact highlighted, for these fish, values higher than the standards not to be exceeded for certain PFAS. This situation concerns a section of the Oise located between Pont-Sainte-Maxence and Villers-Saint-Paul, near the Chemours industrial site.
The authorities indicate that the information has been transmitted to the municipalities and fishing associations and that local signage must recall the species concerned. However, some environmental associations criticize the current regulations. In a report published in June 2025, the Générations Futures association estimates that the European thresholds remain too high to guarantee sufficient health protection.
