mechanism which can address differences between these entities in 

 specific cases and in general. 



In addition, the federal government should do what it can to assist state 

 efforts to achieve rational, consistent fish consumption advisories. 

 Such assistance includes providing the best information available on 

 the hazards posed by a chemical, specifically the hazard identification 

 and dose-response assessment portions of the risk assessment. In 

 addition, the federal agencies can be available to provide whatever 

 advice might be sought by the states. 



In order to mitigate the current difficulties which exist between the 

 various governmental entities involved in contaminated fish issues, it is 

 proposed that a Standing Committee on Fish Contamination be estab- 

 lished, made up of representatives of EPA, FDA, ATSDR, and the 

 states, possibly through the Association of State and Territorial Health 

 Officials (ASTHO). 



The purposes of the Committee would be the following: 



• To work toward resolving any significant differences in the 

 approaches used by agencies in assessing the risk associated 

 with consumption of contaminated fish 



• To provide the states with the appropriate information on 

 hazard identification and dose-response assessment for con- 

 taminants in fish and to provide consistent interagency advice 

 from the federal level when requested by the states 



• To identify the need for federal action on contaminants found 

 to be present in fish in several states 



• To provide a forum in the instances requested by the states in 

 which "early warning" information could be discussed and a 

 coordinated response generated 



• To provide for a common inter-institutional base of experience 

 which would foster long term stability and consistency in fish 

 contaminant related risk assessment generated by all of the 

 governmental agencies involved. 



