Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat types of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

By following these three recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

• Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
• Eat up to 12 ounces (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 (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
• 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 only up to 6 ounces per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mercury and methylmercury?
Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumlate in streams and oceans and is turned into methyl-mercury in the water. It is this type of mercury that can be harmful to your unborn baby and young child. Fish absorb the methyl-mercury as they feed in these waters and so it builds up in them. It builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others, depending on what the fish eat.

Is there methyl-mercury in all fish and shellfish?
Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methyl-mercury. However, larger fish that have lived longer have the highest levels of methyl-mercury because they’ve had more time to accumulate it. These large fish (swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish) pose the greatest risk. Other types of fish and shellfish may be eaten in the amounts recommended by the FDA and EPA.

I want to know about the types of fish I eat. What should I do?
If you want more information about the levels in the various types of fish you eat, see the FDA Food Safety website www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html or the EPA Fish Advisory website www.epa.gov/ost/fish.

What about fish sticks and fast food sandwiches?
Fish sticks and “fast-food” sandwiches are commonly made from fish that are low in mercury.

Where do I get information about the safety of fish caught recreationally by family or friends?
Before you go fishing, check your Fishing Regulations Booklet for information about recreationally caught fish. You can also contact the Josephine County Health Department for information about local advisories. You need to check your local advisories because some kinds of fish and shellfish caught in your local waters may have higher or much lower than average levels of mercury. This depends on the mercury level in the water from which the fish was caught.