Tuna Sushi, and Hold the Mercury!

Oceana Report: Hold the Mercury

Oceana.org’s new report on mercury levels in popular fish and sushi, Hold the Mercury, includes the results of mercury tests on 94 fish samples obtained from sushi bars and grocery stores from cities across the country.

Below is a summary of their key findings concerning high mercury levels found in tuna and swordfish and their recommendations:

Key Findings

• Mercury levels in tuna were much higher than the FDA data suggest
• Two-thirds of swordfish tested contained mercury above the FDA “action level”, which would permit the administration to remove these fish from sale
• The FDA lacks data on bluefin tuna and other popular sushi tuna species
• Average mercury levels of swordfish exceeded the FDA “action level”

Recommendations

• Grocery companies should post the FDA advice about mercury in fish on signs at seafood counters
• The FDA should increase the frequency of its testing for commonly consumed fish
• The FDA should consider including fresh tuna on its “Do Not Eat” list
• The FDA should require warnings to be posted where fish covered by the U.S. government advisories are sold

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