FDA Updates Advice Concerning Mercury in Fish - June 2004

Written by: Ken Gall, Seafood Specialist, New York Sea Grant

In it's most recent consumer advisory on seafood consumption, the FDA and EPA continue to advise everyone to eat two meals of a variety of different fish and shellfish per week to get the positive health benefits from eating seafood. However, certain individuals including women who become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children are more sensitive to mercury from their diet and should follow the specific advice provided by these government agencies to minimize potential long-term health risks.

The government’s new advisory is similar to an FDA consumer advisory on methylmercury in fish issued over 2 years ago. Since that time the FDA has worked with scientists, the agency’s Food Advisory Committee, and the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate its advice and collect new scientific information on mercury levels in seafood and potential impacts on public health. The new advisory was issued after this process was completed. The most significant changes in the new advisory suggest that higher risk individuals consume no more than one meal per week of canned albacore tuna and the agencies have provided more information on which fish and shellfish have low mercury levels.

The following information summarizes the new FDA and EPA Consumer Advisory that includes information for seafood products purchased in retail stores and restaurants as well as special advice for recreational fish caught in local lakes, rivers or ponds for personal consumption.

Commercial Fish and Shellfish from Retail Stores and Restaurants

• Everyone is encouraged to eat 2 meals (12 ounces) of a variety of different fish and shellfish per week. The agencies emphasized the health benefits of eating fish as part of a balance diet.

• Higher risk groups including women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children should not eat four types of fish, Swordfish, Shark, Tilefish and King mackerel, which contain higher levels of mercury. These same groups should not eat more than 1 meal per week (6 ounces) of albacore (white meat) tuna.

• The most popular types of fish and shellfish in the marketplace have low levels of mercury. Consumers and higher risk individuals concerned about mercury can select products from the list below that have lower mercury levels when planning their two seafood meals per week.                                               

All other species of fish (except swordfish, shark, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico , and King mackerel) have mercury levels well below the current FDA action level but somewhat higher than those with low levels included in the list above. Specific information on mercury levels in all of these species can be found at the FDA Website. To see a copy of the government advisory click here.

Recreational Fish Caught in Local Lakes , Rivers and Ponds

Everyone should check advisories before eating fish caught by yourself or your family and friends in local lakes, rivers, ponds, and coastal areas. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has issued annual Fish Consumption Advisories for Sport Fish for at least 25 years. Just like the new FDA and EPA advisory the NY State sport fish advisories give special recommendations to the same higher risk groups to help them minimize their intake of chemical contaminants from polluted lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds in the state. The NYS DOH Sport Fish Consumption Advisory can be found at the following website at by clicking here.