Mercury Levels in U.S. Seafood Tim Fitzgerald

EDF Hg database & recommendations • Developed in 2004-2011 as a compliment to eco- recommendations • Combine numerous data sources into one comprehensive resource • Advice based on mean Hg levels • Age/gender specific advisories • 350+ gov’t & peer-reviewed sources • Based on EPA’s National Guidance for establishing Fish Advisories

EPA/FDA Species Hg (ppm) Marlin 1.40 Mercury Advice Cobia 0.74 Bluefin tuna 0.73 DO NOT EAT (1 ppm) Opah/moonfish 0.62 Shark Bigeye tuna 0.58 Swordfish Escolar 0.58 Wahoo 0.49 King Mackerel Orange roughy 0.48 Tilefish Spanish mack. 0.46 Chilean seabass 0.40 Spotted seatrout 0.40 ONCE PER WEEK Grouper 0.38 Albacore Tuna Lingcod 0.36 (~0.31 ppm) Bluefish 0.34 Sturgeon 0.34

Market factors influence exposure

1. 92% of U.S.-eaten seafood is imported 2. 60% of U.S.-eaten seafood is shrimp, canned tuna, salmon 3. 50% of U.S.-eaten seafood is farmed 4. 33% (on average) is mislabeled 5. U.S. seafood consumption -12% since 2004 Where U.S. seafood comes from

China, 19% Everyone else, 28%

USA, 16%

Thailand, 14% Ecuador, Canada, 10% 3% Vietnam, 4%

Indonesia, 5% U.S. Top 10 Seafoods Species/Item Hg (ppm) Shrimp 0.05 Canned Tuna 0.12-0.33 Salmon 0.05 Tilapia 0.02 Pollock 0.06 Pangasius 0.01 Crab 0.10 Cod 0.07-0.14 Catfish 0.01-0.14 Clams 0.03

Approach, Goals & Rationale 1. Systematic update of EDF database (WoS) 2. Focus on Top ‘Hg Contributors’ (Groth, 2010) 3. Screened 1000+ data sources 4. Extracted mean [Hg] from 350+ sources 5. Examine trends & variability in [Hg] in domestic & imported seafood items 6. ID knowledge gaps 7. Compare findings with FDA monitoring program data EDF/Stony Brook Hg database

Data % Domestic Date Geo. Sources Points Seafood Range Range

EDF/SB 1878- ~360 65,000 42% Global study 2011 1991- Global FDA 1 4,500 N/A 2011 (limited) 1971- NMFS 1 7,400 100% U.S. 1978 1990- EPA 9 6,900 100% U.S. 2011 EDF/Stony Brook Hg database EDF/SB Database vs. FDA data FDA under-estimates vs. Hg database FDA over-estimates vs. Hg database What Next? • Identify new funding to keep Hg database current • Better data on farmed and imported fish • Examine intra- and inter-species variability • In-depth analysis of geographic differences • Apply same methodology to other seafood contaminants

Health risk implications of seafood fraud/mislabeling