consumers, based on data in SRI (1980). Consumption rates for por- 

 tions of the U.S. population (e.g., by region, age, race, and sex) show 

 that average consumption of fisheries organisms may vary from about 

 6 to 100 g/day (e.g., Suta 1978; SRI 1980; Puffer et al. 1982). Finch 

 (1973) determined that approximately 0.1 percent (i.e., the 99.9th 

 percentile) of the U.S. population consumes 165g/day of commercially 

 harvested fish and shellfish. Pao et al. (1982) provided estimates of 48 

 g/day for the average and 128 g/day for the 95th percentile consumption 

 rates by U.S. consumers of fish and shellfish. Rupp (1980) presented 

 estimates of average daily consumption of freshwater fish, saltwater 

 fish, and all shellfish according to age group within the U.S. population. 

 SRI (1980) presents average and 95th percentile rates of consumption 

 of all fish and shellfish according to age group, race, region and other 

 demographic variables. Estimates of food consumption rates for 

 specific subpopulations in the U.S. are also available from a database 

 maintained by the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs (see Appendix 

 F). Limitations of fisheries consumption data are discussed by SRI 

 (1980) and Landolt et al. (1985). The present status of data on fish 

 consumption in the U.S. is also reviewed by Wagstaff et al. (1986). 



One or more of the following values of average consumption rate may 

 be assumed when site-specific data are unavailable: 



• 6.5 g/day to represent an estimate of average consumption of 

 fish and shellfish from estuarine and fresh waters by the 

 U.S.population (U.S. EPA 1980b) 



• 20 g/day to represent an estimate of the average consumption 

 of fish and shellfish from marine, estuarine, and fresh waters 

 by the U.S. population (USDA 1984) 



• 165 g/day to represent average consumption of fish and 

 shellfish from marine, estuarine, and fresh waters by the 99.9th 

 percentile of the U.S.population (Finch 1973) 



• 180 g/day to represent a "reasonable worst case" based on the 

 assumption that some individuals would consume fish at a rate 

 equal to the combined consumption of red meat, poultry, fish, 

 and shellfish in the U.S. (EPA Risk Assessment Council as- 

 sumption based on data from the USDA Nationwide Food 

 Consumption Survey of 1977-1978; see Appendix F). 



Extrapolation of these values to local populations and recreational 

 fisheries should generally be avoided. Limited estimates of average 

 consumption rates for recreational fisheries are given in SRI (1980). 

 Whenever possible, data on local consumption patterns should be 

 collected or obtained from a current database. Alternatively, risk 

 estimates may be expressed on a unit consumption basis (i.e., per unit 

 weight of fish/shellfish consumed). This latter approach is used by 

 some states in issuing sportfishing advisories. If average consumption 

 values listed above are assumed for local risk assessment, it is recom- 

 mended that a range of values be used. The references cited earlier 

 should be consulted for consumption rate data for fish and shellfi.sh 

 separately, or for individual species (also see references cited in Ap- 

 pendix F). 



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