What are the guidelines for safe consumption of fish and shellfish?
A. The Environmental Protection Agency made the following recommendations for women and young children in August, 2004: 1.) Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tile fish because they contain high levels of mercury. 2.) Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average servings) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most common fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, catfish, and pollock. 3.) Albacore “white” tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. You may eat up to 6 ounces (1 average serving) of albacore tuna per week. 4.) Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local bodies of water. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces of locally caught fish per week, but avoid any other fish that week. Follow these same recommendations for younger children, but serve smaller portions. More information on the federal advisory is available at www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish .
