BACKGROUND AVOID MERCURY Certain types of chemical pollution do Want more information? not go away. In fact, they accumulate in Contact your healthcare provider, IN FISH AND animals like fish. Usually chemical pollu- local health department tion in fish is low. However, in some fish, SEAFOOD this pollution can reach amounts that may or the cause health problems in people that eat Shopping & those fish too often. This guide focuses on one contaminant – methyl mercury – be- Restaurant Guide cause the U.S. Food and Drug Administra- tion (FDA) have issued a nation-wide fish consumption advisory for mercury.
1-800-MI-TOXIC 1-800-648-6942 OTHER AVaILaBLE www.michigan.gov/mdch-toxic BRoCHURES
Funding for this project has been provided by: n Guide to Safe Fish Consumption Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network WHY SHOULD I EAT FISH? n Avoid Mercury in Fish and Seafood www.saginawbaywin.org Adding fish and fish oils to your diet can n Michigan Family Fish Consumption reduce your risk of heart disease and Guide provide young and developing children with essential nutrients for good brain Available at: development. www.michigan.gov/mdch-toxic WHAT IS THE CONCERN? or by calling 1-800-MI-TOXIC Mercury builds up and is stored in the meat of fish. This guide tells you about fish you can purchase that are likely to be low in mercury and can be eaten on regular basis. WHO NEEDS THIS ADVICE MOST? Children under 15 years old are most vulnerable to the mercury found in fish.
MDCH is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Women of childbearing age and mothers Services and Programs Provider. with young children should use this guide to select fish lower in mercury. Safe for All Mercury in Fish Shopping & Restaurant Guide These meal recommendations are de- signed to protect individuals that are sensi- tive to mercury, women of childbearing age 2 meals per WEEK EAT and children under the age of 15 years old. Anchovies Catfish (farm raised) Everyone else (the general population) will Medium Crab Crawfish also be protected by following this advice.
I I I I I I I I I I I Flatfish (flounder, plaice, sole) Herring I I H I I I w I i Mullet Oysters
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h L Pollock Salmon (canned, frozen, or fresh) Mercury in Fish Meter Sardine Scallops Mercury in Shrimp Squid Low — means fish have less mercury fish meter Tilapia Trout (freshwater) and are safer to eat on a regular basis Whitefish (2 meals per week). diu Me m 1 meal per WEEK OR High — means fish have too much I I I I I I I I I I I I I H I I I I mercury and are not safe to eat on any w i I I g Cod Jacksmelt
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h L Monkfish Tuna (canned light) regular basis. Any fish less than high are Snapper Sheepshead Mercury in safe to eat in the recommended amounts. fish meter Meal Size diu Me m 2 meals per MONTH OR Meal size for adults is 8 ounces when I I I I I I I I I I I I I H I I Bluefish Bass (saltwater: Sea, Striped, Rockfish) I I weighed uncooked and 6 ounces when w i I I g
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h Halibut Lobster L cooked. For young children, a meals size Sablefish Scorpion fish Mercury in Tuna (Albacore, can white) Tuna (fresh/frozen) is 4 ounces uncooked or 3 ounces cooked. fish meter Weakfish (sea trout)
diu Me m Remember!
I I I I I I I I I I I OR I I H 1 meal per MONTH Eating a variety of fish, instead of the I I I I w i I I g
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h same type of fish
L Grouper Mackerel Marlin Orange Roughy for every meal, Mercury in fish meter lowers your chance of diu Me m repeated exposure I I I I I I I I — DO NOT EAT THESE FISH — I I I I I H I I to unsafe levels of I I w i I I g STOP
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Mercury in fish meter Tilefish King Mackerel