Mercury levels in fish

mercury-levels-in-fish.md

Mercury Levels in fish

Fish Species	Provenance	Mean Mercury Level (ppm)	Number of Samples	Notes
Tilefish	Gulf of Mexico	1.45	4	Significantly higher mercury than Atlantic Tilefish; limit consumption.
Tilefish	Atlantic	0.144	32	Lower mercury; safer option compared to Gulf of Mexico.
Mackerel	Atlantic	0.05	80	Low mercury; safe for frequent consumption.
King Mackerel	Atlantic / Gulf of Mexico	0.73	213	High mercury; avoid for vulnerable groups (e.g., pregnant women).
Spanish Mackerel	Gulf of Mexico	0.182	43	Higher mercury than South Atlantic Spanish Mackerel.
Spanish Mackerel	South Atlantic	0.07	74	Lower mercury; safer regional choice.
Croaker	Atlantic	0.065	Not specified	Low mercury; safe option.
Croaker (White)	Pacific	0.287	Not specified	Higher mercury than Atlantic Croaker; moderate caution advised.
Tuna (Bluefin)	Atlantic	~0.689	13	High mercury; levels may vary by specific stock (e.g., Western Atlantic).
Tuna (Bluefin)	Pacific	~0.3 - 0.5	Not specified	Generally lower mercury than Atlantic Bluefin; data from regional studies.
Tuna (Yellowfin)	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.354	231	Moderate mercury; provenance not specified in FDA data.
Salmon	Atlantic (farmed)	~0.022	34	Very low mercury; primarily farmed.
Salmon	Pacific (wild)	~0.022	34	Very low mercury; includes species like sockeye, coho, and chinook.
Cod	Atlantic	~0.111	20	Low to moderate mercury; widely consumed Atlantic species.
Cod	Pacific	~0.111	20	Similar to Atlantic Cod; slight variations possible but generally low.
Halibut	Pacific	0.241	32	Moderate mercury; most halibut consumed is Pacific due to Atlantic overfishing.
Halibut	Atlantic	Not specified	Not specified	Less common; may have similar or higher mercury levels than Pacific.
Swordfish	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.995	598	High mercury; avoid for vulnerable groups regardless of provenance.
Shark	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.979	356	High mercury; avoid for vulnerable groups regardless of provenance.
Sardines	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.013	23	Very low mercury; safe for frequent consumption.
Anchovies	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.016	14	Very low mercury; safe for frequent consumption.
Shrimp	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.001	24	Extremely low mercury; safe for all groups.
Clams	Various (Atlantic/Pacific)	0.002	15	Extremely low mercury; safe for all groups.

Sources

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012)."
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Guidelines for Eating Fish That Contain Mercury."
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "Mercury Hot Spots and Bioaccumulation in Fish." National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS).
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Overfishing, Climate Change Linked with Rising Mercury Levels in Fish."
• Nature Journal. "Climate Change and Overfishing Increase Neurotoxicant in Marine Predators." (2019 Study)
• CBS News. "Climate Change and Overfishing Are Increasing Toxic Mercury Levels in Fish."
• WebMD. "Mercury in Fish and Shellfish: Health Advice."
• Healthline. "Should You Avoid Fish Because of Mercury?"
• Better Health Channel (Victoria, Australia). "Mercury in Fish."
• Wikipedia. "Mercury in Fish."
• Frontiers in Marine Science. "Ocean Warming, Overfishing, and Mercury in European Fisheries."
• Sustainable Fisheries UW. "Mercury in Seafood Impacted by Fishery Management and Climate Change."