Mercury and fish

rosemary98
rosemary98 Posts: 632
in Food and Nutrition
I eat fish probably four-five times per week (in sashimi form, mainly). I don't eat other meats, and it provides good protein and nutrition. However, the mercury now has me a little concerned. I found this website that lists low to high mercury level of various fish. There is also a mercury calculator that estimates your mercury intake.

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

Hope it is helpful to someone.
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Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I eat fish probably four-five times per week (in sashimi form, mainly). I don't eat other meats, and it provides good protein and nutrition. However, the mercury now has me a little concerned. I found this website that lists low to high mercury level of various fish. There is also a mercury calculator that estimates your mercury intake.

    http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

    Hope it is helpful to someone.

    If you're on the pacific coast, you should be aware of the fukushima effect, and that fish are showing up that are slightly radioactive. (Thanks Japan!)

    In fact, a friend of mine is salmon fishing today outside of seattle, and will be testing the fish for radiation levels. When the radiation from Fukushima hits the coast next year, expect no more safe fish from the northern half of the pacific.

    :( Salmon populations are even plummeting.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    This is why I eat farm-raised, GMO enhanced tilapia.
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    very disturbing. thanks for the information. Such a quality food source...contaminated.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    very disturbing. thanks for the information. Such a quality food source...contaminated.

    We started talking about it Sunday, and it was so depressing.

    So for me and my family, this is the last year for salmon, dungeness (they greatest crab there is), salmon, sturgeon, anything in a river delta or confluence close to salt water, as well as tuna. It could stay that way for a long time, we're talking a 30 year halfway for the radiation, so in 60 years it will be 25% of what it is today.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    I read an article the other day about this. The smaller the fish, the less mercury it will have. The larger fish eat the smaller fish and therefore the mercury builds up in their system. Tuna and other large fish will have a lot more mercury than small fish like salmon and crustaceans like shrimp and crabs, etc. Canned tuna has the most mercury from what I read in the articles online.
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    I read an article the other day about this. The smaller the fish, the less mercury it will have. The larger fish eat the smaller fish and therefore the mercury builds up in their system. Tuna and other large fish will have a lot more mercury than small fish like salmon and crustaceans like shrimp and crabs, etc. Canned tuna has the most mercury from what I read in the articles online.

    I think if you get the chunk light tuna...it is much lower in mercury than the albacore tuna. I used to eat ahi tuna on salads bi-weekly. i probably had a lot of mercury build up. when i was pregnant, i was aware of the mercury issues...and stopped eating most fish all together, but since baby was born and nursing over...i have endulged my sushi addiction.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    Well, tuna are apparently larger fish.. bigger the fish the bigger the amount of mercury.
    Here is the information I was talking about.

    http://blueocean.org/issues/fish-as-food/mercury/

    http://blueocean.org/issues/fish-as-food/mercury/advice-mercury-in-seafood/

    http://blueocean.org/documents/2012/07/boi-mercury-report.pdf
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    Well, tuna are apparently larger fish.. bigger the fish the bigger the amount of mercury.
    Here is the information I was talking about.

    http://blueocean.org/issues/fish-as-food/mercury/

    http://blueocean.org/issues/fish-as-food/mercury/advice-mercury-in-seafood/

    http://blueocean.org/documents/2012/07/boi-mercury-report.pdf
    so sickening....thank you for the links.
  • ThinLizzie0802
    ThinLizzie0802 Posts: 863 Member
    I can't live without sea food. The perfect food. And we ruined it. Excuse me while I go cry.....

    And then probably die of mercury poisoning because I don't want to give it up. :(
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    It's heartbreaking- we are killing the earth...
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    It's heartbreaking- we are killing the earth...

    Pretty sure it's going to repay the favor and kill us too, then rebuild itself over billions of years and the circle is complete. Humans are pretty fragile. Hopefully we'll die out before all the other critters do.
  • nitenichiryu
    nitenichiryu Posts: 17
    If you're on the pacific coast, you should be aware of the fukushima effect, and that fish are showing up that are slightly radioactive. (Thanks Japan!)

    In fact, a friend of mine is salmon fishing today outside of seattle, and will be testing the fish for radiation levels. When the radiation from Fukushima hits the coast next year, expect no more safe fish from the northern half of the pacific.

    :( Salmon populations are even plummeting.

    Thanks, Japan? I'm sure they willed that tsunami and earthquake to happen. 馬鹿野郎.

    BTW...Caesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years (~70 days biological half0life); cesium-134, 2.1 years. Caesium-137 is present in the entirety of the Pacific ocean from the nuclear weapons testing that peaked in the 50s and 60s by the United States and other like powers. Caesium-134 is from Fukushima directly. Not too mention that the overwhelming majority of fish caught and tested test below the safe limit in Japan (which happens to be 10x stricter than that of Canada).
  • fuzzieme
    fuzzieme Posts: 454 Member
    It's heartbreaking- we are killing the earth...

    Pretty sure it's going to repay the favor and kill us too, then rebuild itself over billions of years and the circle is complete. Humans are pretty fragile. Hopefully we'll die out before all the other critters do.


    :drinker:
  • victoriavoodoo
    victoriavoodoo Posts: 343 Member
    I'm over the limit =[ I have tilapia or salmon or tuna every day to reach my protein goal(pescetarian here).

    And I'm only a pescetarian because I took a class in nutrition that convinced me red meat with it's hormones etc is bad! Pick your poison I guess.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    BTW...Caesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years (~70 days biological half0life); cesium-134, 2.1 years. Caesium-137 is present in the entirety of the Pacific ocean from the nuclear weapons testing that peaked in the 50s and 60s by the United States and other like powers. Caesium-134 is from Fukushima directly. Not too mention that the overwhelming majority of fish caught and tested test below the safe limit in Japan (which happens to be 10x stricter than that of Canada).

    EDITED:
    Just did a little reading, it was caesium-137

    KEPT: With luck, we'll not have to worry soon because we'll have Godzilla.
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    I'm over the limit =[ I have tilapia or salmon or tuna every day to reach my protein goal(pescetarian here).

    And I'm only a pescetarian because I took a class in nutrition that convinced me red meat with it's hormones etc is bad! Pick your poison I guess.

    I'm a plant eater- sometimes organic....but pesticides will get me!!
    Building a massive vegie garden at present to help with this issue.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    It's heartbreaking- we are killing the earth...

    Pretty sure it's going to repay the favor and kill us too, then rebuild itself over billions of years and the circle is complete. Humans are pretty fragile. Hopefully we'll die out before all the other critters do.

    That is my plan. Muahahahahahahaha!
  • victoriavoodoo
    victoriavoodoo Posts: 343 Member
    I'm over the limit =[ I have tilapia or salmon or tuna every day to reach my protein goal(pescetarian here).

    And I'm only a pescetarian because I took a class in nutrition that convinced me red meat with it's hormones etc is bad! Pick your poison I guess.

    I'm a plant eater- sometimes organic....but pesticides will get me!!
    Building a massive vegie garden at present to help with this issue.

    THERE IS NOTHING LEFT =[ I eat mostly plants as well along with my one fish a day, and who can afford to always shop organic? merrrrrr =[
  • mem50
    mem50 Posts: 1,384 Member
    Thank goodness the fish I get are fresh caught out of a tested mercury free lake.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I eat fish probably four-five times per week (in sashimi form, mainly). I don't eat other meats, and it provides good protein and nutrition. However, the mercury now has me a little concerned. I found this website that lists low to high mercury level of various fish. There is also a mercury calculator that estimates your mercury intake.

    http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

    Hope it is helpful to someone.

    If you're on the pacific coast, you should be aware of the fukushima effect, and that fish are showing up that are slightly radioactive. (Thanks Japan!)

    In fact, a friend of mine is salmon fishing today outside of seattle, and will be testing the fish for radiation levels. When the radiation from Fukushima hits the coast next year, expect no more safe fish from the northern half of the pacific.

    :( Salmon populations are even plummeting.

    The graphic going around Facebook that purportedly shows the radiation spread was actually released in 2011 … to show wave height from the tsunami caused by the earthquake. Some radiation has leaked into water around Fukushima, but for the most part, when compared with vastness of the Pacific Ocean, it's negligible. It will be so diluted when it reaches our Pacific Coast that its effects will be very minimal. (see the article on snopes.com)

    I can't speak for the salmon populations decreasing or anything but I would love to see some legitimate information on that, or on any effects of the radiation different from what I've just stated.

    As far as mercury, my understanding has always been that it's higher in the more fatty fishes, and in shellfish. I've never worried about it much, but then I can't afford fish more than once or twice a week, and usually not that often.
  • ILoveBreakfast671
    ILoveBreakfast671 Posts: 76 Member
    I eat fish probably four-five times per week (in sashimi form, mainly). I don't eat other meats, and it provides good protein and nutrition. However, the mercury now has me a little concerned. I found this website that lists low to high mercury level of various fish. There is also a mercury calculator that estimates your mercury intake.

    http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

    Hope it is helpful to someone.

    If you're on the pacific coast, you should be aware of the fukushima effect, and that fish are showing up that are slightly radioactive. (Thanks Japan!)

    Yeah bro blame it on Japan. They purposely put that power plant there to be rocked by a massive tsunami that also killed more than 15,000 people, 5 times the amount of casualties of 9/11.

    Off topic I know. Sorry. Just kind of hurts even though I'm not Japanese.

    'Murica.

    /End Rant...
  • ostrichagain
    ostrichagain Posts: 271 Member
    It's heartbreaking- we are killing the earth...

    Pretty sure it's going to repay the favor and kill us too, then rebuild itself over billions of years and the circle is complete. Humans are pretty fragile. Hopefully we'll die out before all the other critters do.

    This made me think of George Carlin:
    "The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we’re gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, ’cause that’s what it does. It’s a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed. And if it’s true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new paradigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn’t share our prejudice toward plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn’t know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, 'Why are we here?"

    We are pretty fragile, but we're also very adaptable.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I eat fish probably four-five times per week (in sashimi form, mainly). I don't eat other meats, and it provides good protein and nutrition. However, the mercury now has me a little concerned. I found this website that lists low to high mercury level of various fish. There is also a mercury calculator that estimates your mercury intake.

    http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

    Hope it is helpful to someone.

    If you're on the pacific coast, you should be aware of the fukushima effect, and that fish are showing up that are slightly radioactive. (Thanks Japan!)

    In fact, a friend of mine is salmon fishing today outside of seattle, and will be testing the fish for radiation levels. When the radiation from Fukushima hits the coast next year, expect no more safe fish from the northern half of the pacific.

    :( Salmon populations are even plummeting.

    The graphic going around Facebook that purportedly shows the radiation spread was actually released in 2011 … to show wave height from the tsunami caused by the earthquake. Some radiation has leaked into water around Fukushima, but for the most part, when compared with vastness of the Pacific Ocean, it's negligible. It will be so diluted when it reaches our Pacific Coast that its effects will be very minimal. (see the article on snopes.com)

    I can't speak for the salmon populations decreasing or anything but I would love to see some legitimate information on that, or on any effects of the radiation different from what I've just stated.

    As far as mercury, my understanding has always been that it's higher in the more fatty fishes, and in shellfish. I've never worried about it much, but then I can't afford fish more than once or twice a week, and usually not that often.

    Yeah, we weren't looking at the FB graphic. Thanks.

    I'm still waiting to hear back on just how godzilla-ish the salmon are in West Seattle. Stocks are way down based on numbers being caught as well.

    Well, we had to do it sooner or later. :(
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Off topic I know. Sorry. Just kind of hurts even though I'm not Japanese.

    Sorry you hurt bro.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    I eat pescetarian as well, but I try to only have fish a few times a week and get most of my protein from other sources like soy, beans, legumes, and eggs. It is really sad all the horrible things that humans are doing to the earth, but I am hoping people will become more aware and start to try to resolve these problems. If you eat fish for every meal, I would probably consider cutting back, but don't cut it out completely. Its not going to *KILL* you to have a little mercury.. I think?
  • explosivedonut
    explosivedonut Posts: 419 Member
    I stay away from bananas and Brazil nuts because of the radiation in them. True story.
  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
    So much BAD SCIENCE in here it makes me sick.
    I guess all the more fish for me :)
    nomnomnomnomnomnomnom
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    I've read about the different mercury levels and whatnot.. I don't fear it though. I'm not about to eat Swordfish for every meal or anything, but where I live everybody is nonstop fishing so it's a quick/easy meal. It's not worth stressing over.
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    I've read about the different mercury levels and whatnot.. I don't fear it though. I'm not about to eat Swordfish for every meal or anything, but where I live everybody is nonstop fishing so it's a quick/easy meal. It's not worth stressing over.

    I agree. I will continue to eat fish. the initial website I referenced was just informing people of mercury levels in different types of fish (yes, swordfish being very high in mercury). I thought the calculator was helpful because it gave some understanding of what/how much fish you can eat a week and still be within your "mercury budget." The EPA provides similar information about fish and mercury if the NRDC site sounds like "bad science."
  • FrontBoard
    FrontBoard Posts: 15
    You may want to look into selenium and the role it plays in mercury toxicity. E.g.

    http://ckresser.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Selenium_Poster_final.png

    I don't know that I necessarily believe that if selenium > mercury in most fish then everything magically works out, but I do believe the selenium must help somewhat. You can decide what you feel comfortable with.

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