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VIDEO: In partnership with Refugee Federation Service Center, King County completes a unique research project with immigrant and refugee communities on which fish are safer to eat
Summary
Dec. 12, 2024: King County Water and Land Resources Division researchers and the Refugee Federation Service Center partnered with local fishers from immigrant and refugee communities on a three-year research project monitoring toxic chemicals in fish from King County lakes and shorelines of Puget Sound.
News
A community-driven research project led by King County’s Water and Land Resources Division, in partnership with the Refugee Federation Service Center, partnered with local fishers from the immigrant and refugee community to learn which lakes, shorelines, and fish were popular to catch and eat but had not been previously tested for toxic chemicals.
Researchers from King County’s freshwater and marine toxics monitoring programs worked with local community members who fish to catch and test fish from previously unmonitored areas. The project culminated in a set of actionable recommendations, showing which fish in each location are safer to eat.
“King County’s collaboration with the Refugee Federation Service Center and local fishers is part of our commitment to partnering with historically marginalized communities to address health and environmental challenges,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “By engaging local fishers in our research, they’ve become trusted advocates, sharing their expertise to help others make safer choices about the fish they catch and feed their families.”
Over the past 10 years, the program monitored three lakes, two rivers, and several spots along King County’s shorelines for toxic contaminants in fish and crab. The Washington Department of Health used the data to help determine which species are safest to eat.
Researchers teamed up with the Refugee Federation Service Center, a Kent-based nonprofit organization assisting immigrants and refugees as they transition to life in the United States for this first-of-its-kind project for King County.
“The fishers were integral to this research project,” said Jennifer Lanksbury, a researcher with King County’s freshwater and marine toxics monitoring programs. “Their expertise, and this level of engagement with the community, re-shaped how we approach monitoring, and how we transparently share results back with the community.”
Rather than only providing warnings, the recommendations offered clear guidance that helped communities make safer, more informed choices with an emphasis on inclusion, transparency, and uplifting community voices and knowledge.
Bridging data gaps through direct community engagement
Researchers surveyed local fishers about where they fish, what they catch, what parts of the fish or crab they eat, and how often they consume their catch.
The survey revealed that some popular fishing spots such as Angle Lake, Lake Meridian, and locations along south King County’s marine shorelines were not being evaluated. Researchers also learned that some popularly eaten fish — including rainbow trout and shiner perch — were not being monitored and about cultural preferences such as eating “crab butter," a delicacy that exposes people to high levels of toxic chemicals.
"The grassroots organizations, community members, and King County worked together as partners to study what species are safe and not safe, to help protect the fishing communities from eating contaminated fish and seafood from local waters,” said Sophorn Sim, leader of the Refugee Federation Service Center. “This project resulted in materials that we created to inform the refugee and immigrant fishing communities to understand the safer choice to fish in the local waters.”
Researchers used the survey results to design a pilot fish sampling project. Community fishers then collected target fish species at previously unmonitored lakes and marine shorelines.
In early 2023, King County and the refugee center held a multilingual training on fishing protocols and how to handle samples for chemical analysis. Fishers contributed throughout the spring, summer, and fall, gathering valuable samples while being compensated by the Refugee Federation for their time and expertise.
Researchers at the King County Environmental Lab tested the fish for toxics such as PCBs, mercury, and other chemicals that can accumulate to high levels in some fish and have serious health effects on people who consume them.
Sharing results, empowering communities
Consulting closely with the Washington State Department of Health and Public Health – Seattle and King County, researchers drafted recommendations for each monitored lake or shoreline. The resulting flyer is called Healthy Fish-Eating Recommendations from King County.
“People from immigrant and refugee communities shared that government often tells them what not to do. As an alternative approach, the Refugee Federation and King County created a flyer that guides fishers on what they can do. The easy-to-understand format shows the safer places to fish in King County and which types of fish are safest to feed their families,” said Jenée Colton, supervisor for King County’s freshwater and marine toxics monitoring program.
A celebratory event at the Duwamish Community Hub this fall brought together participating fishers and their families and researchers shared the flyer and described how to use it. King County prioritized accessibility and interpreters, provided by the Refugee Federation Service Center, provided real-time translation in multiple languages for more than 45 attendees.
The Healthy Fish-Eating Recommendations flyer was translated into nine languages, so all community members and people who fish can better access the content and share the information with their families and wider communities.
Following the completion of the research project, King County researchers now intend to incorporate several new lakes, marine areas, and fish species into their ongoing monitoring program.
This research project was funded by a Waterworks grant administered by King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division, with additional funds from the Water and Land Resources Division. Both divisions are part of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks.
Multimedia
- VIDEO: Sharing results for safer fishing
- PHOTO GALLERY: Community members participate in research project
- TRACKS: An interactive map of environmental stewardship in King County
Resources
Quotes
King County’s collaboration with the Refugee Federation Service Center and local fishers is part of our commitment to partnering with historically marginalized communities to address health and environmental challenges. By engaging local fishers in our research, they’ve become trusted advocates, sharing their expertise to help others make safer choices about the fish they catch and feed their families.
The grassroots organizations, community members, and King County worked together as partners to study what species are safe and not safe, to help protect the fishing communities from eating contaminated fish and seafood from local waters. This project resulted in materials that we created to inform the refugee and immigrant fishing communities to understand the safer choice to fish in the local waters.
The fishers were integral to this research project. Their expertise, and this level of engagement with the community, re-shaped how we approach monitoring, and how we transparently share results back with the community.
People from immigrant and refugee communities shared that government often tells them what not to do. As an alternative approach, the Refugee Federation and King County created a flyer that guides fishers on what they can do. The easy-to-understand format shows the safer places to fish in King County and which types of fish are safest to feed their families.
Contact
Doug Williams, Department of Natural Resources and Parks, 206-477-4543
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