Most of the U.S. Fish Supply Contains Harmful Levels of Mercury

<<< Back to main page
After analyzing an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, the environmental coalition, Clear the Air, found more than half the fish living in lakes and reservoirs have excessive levels of mercury. So much so, these fish aren't safe for children and child-bearing women to eat.

The EPA report studied 268 chemicals from some 2,500 fish living in 500 lakes and reservoirs around the United States. Environmental groups like Clear the Air analyzed the EPA report to highlight more information about contamination, states suffering from high levels of contamination and the companies responsible for the problem.

Clear the Air is pressing the EPA to set tougher mercury emissions standards for coal-fired power plants than the current federal administration wants. Although new standards for power plants are to be finalized next spring, the EPA isn't expected to complete their final survey until 2006.

Among the EPA findings:

Texas power plants produce the most mercury emissions annually. Five of the 10 leading power plants with the highest mercury emissions are located in the Lone Star State

More than three-quarters of the samples surpassed the safe limit for children under 3 eating fish twice a week and more than half the women of an average weight who eat a similar amount

Even with the controls, Clear the Air claims they aren't nearly enough.

EPA defended its findings, believing mercury to be a serious public health issue and that's why they are working with the FDA to provide warnings to consumers about fish consumption and mercury. Earlier this year, both agencies issued a joint warning that advised women in their child-bearing years and children not to eat shark, swordfish and king mackerel, fish known to have high levels of mercury.

Industry groups defended EPA's stance against the environmental coalition's findings, arguing coal-fired power plants make up less than 1 percent of worldwide mercury emissions.

Although an independent analyst from another environmental organization agreed with that number, coal-fired power plants account for 41 percent of all mercury emissions (some 90,000 pounds of mercury) and 80 percent in some regions including the Great Lakes and Northeast.

New York Times August 4, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

If the fish comes from the ocean, restaurant, a farm or canned in a grocery store, I'd strongly advise against eating it. Fish contain a number of toxic substances besides mercury:

PCBs

Radioactive materials like strontium

Toxic metals like lead, chromium, arsenic and cadmium

One easy way to get the benefits from fish without eating them to protect yourself from disease and live longer: Take fish oil in the summer and cod liver oil in the winter (ideally, you should have your vitamin D levels tested to determine if and when you should take cod liver oil, which contains vitamin D). If you're looking for a high-quality brand of fish oil, you can't do any better than Carlson's fish oil and cod liver oil. These natural omega-3 sources contain DHA and EPA, essential fatty acids that are great for your health.

If you really like the taste of fish, you may want to consider Alaskan wild red salmon from Vital Choice that has been tested safe from contamination from the toxic substances listed above and is available in our Web site store.