Fish Consumption Rate (often also referred to as the Fish Consumption Value) is the term the Clean Water Act uses to describe the average amount of fish a person eats per day. If a population eats more fish, the theory goes, lower levels of pollutants should be allowed into the waters from which communities harvest, eat, and drink. This is to prevent bioaccumulative toxins from building up in our waters, our seafood, and finally in our bodies.

It should also be noted that “fish” here refers to any species harvested from the aquatic environment. Consumption of seaweed, finfish, shellfish, and marine mammals is included under the Clean Water Act protections.