Fish and Mercury: What to Avoid

We keep hearing about high mercury levels in fish, but always wondered which ones are safe to consume. The Environmental Working Group released a useful list of what to eat, and when.

According to EWG, pregnant women should avoid the following types of fish:
Shark
Swordfish
King mackerel
Tilefish
Tuna steaks
Canned tuna
Sea bass
Gulf Coast Oysters
Marlin
Halibut
Pike
Walleye
White croaker
Largemouth bass

Recommended no more than one serving per month:
Blue mussel
Shark
Eastern oyster
Cod
Pollock
Great Lakes salmon
Gulf Coast blue crab
Channel catfish (wild)
Lake whitefish

Lowest in mercury:
Blue crab (mid-Atlantic)
Croaker
Fish Sticks
Flounder (summer)
Haddock
Trout (farmed)
Salmon (wild Pacific)

Shrimp *

* Shrimp fishing and farming practices have raised serious environmental concerns.
** Farmed catfish have low mercury levels but may contain PCBs in amounts of concern for pregnant women.

For more information, logon to ewg.org