People are being warned not to eat any fish caught from the Wissahickon Creek after state officials found high levels of a chemical known as Perfluorooctane Sulfonate.
The Pennsylvania departments of Environmental Protection and Health (DEP), along with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), issued a “Do Not Eat” advisory on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026 for all fish species throughout the Wissahickon Creek basin in Montgomery County and Philadelphia.
Officials said testing found that fish contained levels of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), a type of “forever chemical,” above the state’s “Do Not Eat” advisory level of 0.04 parts per million.
The warning applies to all species of fish caught anywhere in the Wissahickon Creek basin, according to officials.
Due to this consumption advisory, officials said the PFBC canceled a trout stocking that was schedule for Thursday, Oct. 15, on Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia.
The commission plans to hold a public meeting to discuss future trout stocking options and hear from anglers.
The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, located at 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road in Philadelpha.
Officials will gather public feedback on how to manage stocked trout in Wissahickon Creek moving forward.
