State fish-consumption advisories cover two Vermilion Parish waterways

Louisiana's complete fish-consumption advisory list, updated September 24, 2026, includes two mercury advisories whose stated boundaries include Vermilion Parish. The state table sets different recommendations for women of childbearing age and children under 7 than for other adults and children age 7 and older.

Boundary guide by Vermilion Boom, based on the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's complete advisory list. It is not a geographic map and is not to scale.

For the Mermentau River and Lake Arthur, the state defines the advisory area as the Mermentau River beginning at the confluence of Bayou Nezpique, Bayou des Cannes and Bayou Plaquemine Brule, continuing through Lake Arthur to the confluence with the Intracoastal Waterway. The table lists Jefferson Davis, Acadia, Cameron and Vermilion parishes.

Within that boundary, the table recommends that women of childbearing age and children under 7 limit bowfin, also called choupique or grinnel, to no more than one meal per month. As an alternative, it recommends no more than two meals per month combined of flathead catfish, freshwater drum, largemouth bass and warmouth. For other adults and children age 7 and older, it recommends no more than three meals per month of bowfin.

For the Vermilion River and Bayou Tortue, the state defines the advisory area as the Vermilion River at I-10 west of Breaux Bridge, through Bayou Tortue, to Intracoastal City. The table lists Lafayette, St. Martin and Vermilion parishes.

Within that boundary, the table recommends that women of childbearing age and children under 7 limit largemouth bass to no more than one meal per month. As an alternative, it recommends no more than two meals per month combined of bigmouth buffalo, black or white crappie, bowfin, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, redear sunfish and white bass. The table lists no advisory for other adults and children age 7 and older for this waterway.

The state defines one meal as one-half pound. The limits apply to the stated boundaries, groups and species; they are not a blanket warning against every fish from every Vermilion Parish waterway.

The LDEQ advisory index, checked September 30, continued to label the complete list as updated September 24. LDEQ says the interactive map and agency websites carry the most current status and that advisory signs may take several weeks to install. The agency lists its water-quality contact at 1-866-896-5337, and the page lists the Louisiana Department of Health fish-advisory hotline at 1-888-293-7020.