news - mercury & fish

Fish & Mercury

Consumers are confused. Doctors and dieticians say that fish is good for you because it provides high quality protein and Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. And, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that fish is contaminated with the toxic metal mercury. Mercury affects the brain and nervous systems, especially in young children and developing fetuses.

Who is right and who is wrong? Well, they're both right.

On 19 March 2004 some of the confusion was cleared when The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the EPA released "Advisory: What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish."

The bottom line is: fish is still good for you; mercury is bad for you; certain fish have very low levels of mercury; and consumers have to be cautious when selecting fish to eat. The easy way out is to stop eating fish, but the resulting diet will not have enough Omega fatty acids and could leave the heart at risk.

The safest way out is to take pharmaceutical grade fish oil that will provide Omega fatty acids with minimal amounts of mercury.

Omega fatty acids are important for health as they can help reduce artery-clogging cholesterol, and can ward off hardening of the arteries or heart attacks.

If that poached salmon still calls out or that plate of oysters is irresistible, all is not lost.

The key to safer fish consumption is mercury and the amount of mercury that is found in different kinds of fish and shellfish. Some fish absorb more mercury than others, so eating fish with lower amounts of mercury will keep the diet enriched, provide adequate amounts of Omega fatty acids and minimize the amount of ingested mercury.

The FDA and the EPA provide a list of fish and shellfish organized by mercury levels EPA Fish Lists. While the guidelines are directed at pregnant women and young children, everyone can benefit.

The new guidelines carefully balance the benefits of fish with its risks by emphasizing that fish is a good source of protein and other nutrients and can be an important part of a healthy and balanced diet.

The guidelines also provide caution and advice. Lester Crawford, deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, notes that women who are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant, and young children should not eat certain kinds of fish that tend to be high in mercury.

While mercury can affect almost any organ in the body, "the most sensitive organ is the brain," said Lester Crawford, "the concern is there could be a mental effect on a young child."

Consumers - especially women and young children - can follow these three key guideline recommendations to maximize the benefits of fish while minimizing mercury risk.

1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

2. Eat up to 12 ounces or 2 average meals a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, Pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces or one average meal of albacore tuna per week.

3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces or one average meal per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

Reference: US Food and Drug Administration(FDA), EPA Advisory: What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

Environmental Protection Agency Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish