According to joint guidelines issued from both the FDA and the EPA, women of child-bearing years trying to conceive or already pregnant should limit their fish intake to no more than (2) 6 oz. servings a week of a lower level mercurycontaminated fish like salmon, shrimp or flounder and avoid fish like swordfish, ahi tuna and shark in order to protect the unborn child from potentially severe nerve and brain damage, sight and hearing loss and even birth defects.

photo/Tom Harpel

If you are a fish lover, click here to use the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) mercury intake calculator to monitor weekly consumption.

According to FDA toxicologist Mike Bolger, Ph.D., “Mercury occurs naturally in the environment. Approximately 2,700 to 6,000 tons of mercury are released annually into the atmosphere naturally by degassing from the earth’s crust and oceans. Another 2,000 to 3,000 tons are released annually into the atmosphere by human activities, primarily from burning household and industrial wastes, and especially from fossil fuels such as coal.”

Although fish and seafood offers healthful nutrients like omega-3′s and B vitaminsas well as lean protein to pregnant women, the mercury contaminant level MUST be monitored during pregnancy to err on the side of safety.  It is also wise not to consume raw fish while pregnant.

For sushi connoisseurs, keep in mind, many of the fish selected for sushi may bear higher concentrations of mercury. The following list contains common sushi selections.

LOWER ‘SUSHI’ MERCURY LEVELS (Less than 0.29 parts per million)

Akagai (ark shell) 1
Anago (conger eel) 1
Aoyagi (round clam)
Awabi (abalone) 1
Ayu (sweetfish)
Ebi (shrimp)
Hamaguri (clam)
Hamo (pike conger; sea eel) 1
Hatahata (sandfish)
Himo (ark shell) 1
Hokkigai (surf clam)
Hotategai (scallop)
Ika (squid)
Ikura (salmon roe)
Kaibashira (shellfish)
Kani (crab)
Karei (flatfish)
Kohada (gizzard shad)
Masago (smelt egg)
Masu (trout)
Mirugai (surf clam)
Sake (salmon)
Sayori (halfbeak) 1
Shako (mantis shrimp)
Tai (sea bream) 1
Tairagai (razor-shell clam) 1
Tako (octopus)
Tobikko (flying fish egg)
Torigai (cockle)
Tsubugai (shellfish)
Unagi (freshwater eel) 1
Uni (sea urchin roe)

HIGHER ‘SUSHI’ MERCURY LEVELS (More than 0.3 parts per million)

Ahi (yellowfin tuna)
Aji (horse mackerel) 1
Buri (adult yellowtail) 1
Hamachi (young yellowtail) 1
Inada (very young yellowtail) 1
Kanpachi (very young yellowtail) 1
Katsuo (bonito) 1
Kajiki (swordfish)
Maguro (bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna)
Makjiki (blue marlin)
Meji (young bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna)
Saba (mackerel)
Sawara (Spanish mackerel)
Seigo (young sea bass)
Shiro (albacore tuna)
Suzuki (sea bass)
Toro (bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna)

1. Mercury levels specific to these fish were not available and instead were extrapolated from fish with similar feeding patterns.