Which fish are safe to eat? A quick list here. (And: find local pollution)

[wildflower]

This is an easy-to-read table you can use before you go shopping (for example, which salmon is good and which isn't) and you can click on each fish listed to learn more.

http://www.oceansalive.org/eat.cfm?subnav=bestandworst

It's so sad that it's come to this. But I'm glad to have found the list.

-wildlfower

ON EDIT: I found another site (see my post below), which gives you a detailed report on pollution in your community; you just enter a zip code.

http://www.scorecard.org

[fooj]

1. Many thanks from one fish consumer to another!

[wildflower]

14. You're welcome! :) And a kick for Sunday shoppers! n/t

[MuseRider]

2. This looks like the same

group that has little cards you can order with that info on them. My husband got some and he takes them out when we are considering eating seafood. They are very handy. That was my first thought, same as you, so sad it has come to this.

[wildflower]

6. Really? I'll have to check into the cards. I got to the site...

from www.getgreen.com after hearing a commercial on AAR. (The one where the guy is on a game show trying to guess safe fish caught in an environmentally friendly way.)

-wildflower

[blue sky at night]

3. Hey Thanks!!

This is a great resource for fish and environmental lovers as well. I just wish I could afford to eat more fish. Too bad about the Atlantic Cod, always like to eat Cod.

[baby_bear]

4. One misleading statement

For fish types that have no general advisories, this statement is included:
Our data indicate that contaminant levels in this fish do not warrant a consumption advisory. EPA and FDA recommend that people not eat the same kind of fish more than once a week, to protect against excessive intake of mercury.

Not all fish are worrisome for mercury. Salmon is one significant example. You might worry about the PCBS, though.

b_b

[ultraist]

11. Are you sure about Salmon?

I thought only certain types of Salmon were safe and that kids should not eat Salmon out because you don't know where it really came from.

[baby_bear]

21. Yes, I am sure about salmon

If you want information about PCBs in different types of salmon, let me know. However, in general, I would much rather give a kid a salmon salad sandwich than a tuna sandwich.

For one thing, PCBs - which are developmental toxins for the fetus/infant/child - are found in the upper food chain in general, not just fish. But mercury - being methylated in the aquatic environment - is peculiar to fish, and to certain fish. We are just lucky that salmon do not particularly accumulate mercury the way many high trophic fish do such as tuna and swordfish.

On another note, I suggest that if you take essential fatty acid supplements, as I do, that you ensure that they meet Canadian and European standards for PCBs. Congress has practically destroyed the FDA's ability to regulate "supplements." So we need to look to more civilized countries for guidance on these matters.

b_b

[blue sky at night]

20. excellent point

the idea of taking omega 3's is only hindereed by the high amount of pcbs in them, so in order to supplement with fish oil means high expense to eliminate the toxins.

[CatholicEdHead]

5. In many Minnesota lakes

it is recommended that people only eat Walleye once per month, espically pregnent women.

[wildflower]

7. Another good site: Pollution in Your Community

Here's another site I somehow clicked through to from the first one. It gives information about pollution in your community, and other info too.

http://www.scorecard.org/

ON EDIT: You'll get a report like this (the underlined parts will be links):

Toxic Chemicals Released by Factories, Power Plants and Other Industrial Companies

In 2002, this county ranked X of all counties in the U.S. in terms of land releases.

* See how your county stacks up against all others in the U.S.
* Get a list of:
o the top polluters in your county
o the top chemicals released in your county
* Learn more about pollution from industrial facilities in your community.

Lead Hazards

* X percent of houses in the county have a high risk of lead hazards.
* See how your county stacks up against all others in the U.S.

Worst Toxic Waste Sites (Superfund Sites)

In 2004, this county ranked X of all counties in the U.S. in terms of the number of designated Superfund sites.

* See what Superfund sites are in your community.
* See how your county stacks up against all others in the U.S.

-wildflower

[alfredo]

8. I thought sardines have a lot of mercury in their fat/

[Jax]

9. Thank you for this link

We are lucky that we can buy our Alaskan seafood right off the boat from an Alaskan fishing family that comes down the West coast twice a year with their catch. The salmon and halibut and spot prawns we get last us almost a year.

We catch our own Dungeness.

Excellent site, again thanks for the link. :thumbsup:

Jax

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Eat that Alaskan wild salmon and halibut

Good for you and good for our economy. :)

[eleny]

13. There's nothing like Alaskan salmon

First time I had it was in Skagway back in the 1970s. The owner of the little restaurant had gone fishing that morning and was serving it. Up until then I never had salmon anythng like that. It was a memorable meal.

[eleny]

12. Thank you

I've printed it out at the pocket size to tuck into my purse for when I go shopping. This is going to be so helpful.

[Spike from MN]

15. Thanks for the info.

Here's a salmon story for you. I'm a vegetarian but would occasionally eat fish or poultry, mainly for lack of other choices when I went to restaurants. So, I'm out with some friends and I ordered the salmon. A few hours later I developed leg cramps and absolutely nothing I took for them helped. Even the OTC leg cramps meds that had never failed me before didn't make a dent in them. The cramps kept me up all night and I ended up having to call in to work the next day. I tried all sorts of things over the course of the day but nothing helped. Late in the evening, about 24 hours after the onset of the cramps they went away. I have never had anything before like that nor have I had anything since. The only thing I can think of that could have caused them was the salmon. None of my friends had any reaction to the food they had eaten but none of them had ordered salmon. I checked a few web sites after the incident but couldn't find anything with regard to salmon causing leg cramps so I have no idea what the salmon could have been contaminated with but I also don't doubt that the salmon was the culprit.

Also, thanks in part to the incident, I'm now a full-out vegetarian. No more fish or poultry for me. Haven't missed it one bit either so at least that's a good thing. I also rarely eat at restaurants and only eat at vegetarian ones when I have any choice in the matter.

[Swamp Rat]

16. Thanks! I was just leaving to go eat some gumbo.

Nice to know we'll be eating safe seafood! :)

[Paranoid_Portlander]

17. How about fish oil (EPA & DHA) capsules?

Is there any mercury there?

[wildflower]

18. I believe it depends on the manufacturer, as well as the fish source.

I once was listening to an infomercial in which some manufacturer was saying that his Super-Duper fish oil pills were safe because his company processes out the PCBs.

So you may want to check the bottle for the fish source and any other info you can find, and call the manufacturer if necessary.

Anyone know more on this?

-wildflower

[BigBearJohn]

19. This is really helpful. Thanks for posting.