Mercury in fish

The presence of <a href="/facts/Mercury_(element)/WlxfoHva">mercury</a> in <a href="/facts/Fish/fln4gH9V">fish</a> is a health concern for people who eat them, especially for women who are or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. Fish and <a href="/facts/Shellfish/JjTSlMgw">shellfish</a> concentrate mercury in their bodies, often in the form of <a href="/facts/Methylmercury/xxztUUIU">methylmercury</a>, a highly toxic <a href="/facts/Organomercury/MNDdMpEq">organomercury</a> compound. This element is known to <a href="/facts/Bioaccumulate/KaHzFKnL">bioaccumulate</a> in humans, so bioaccumulation in <a href="/facts/Seafood/geXBKfzJ">seafood</a> carries over into human populations, where it can result in <a href="/facts/Mercury_poisoning/xdSGkWLU">mercury poisoning</a>. Mercury is dangerous to both natural <a href="/facts/Ecosystem/kVE8mSmR">ecosystems</a> and humans because it is a <a href="/facts/Metal/PT8hNX6R">metal</a> known to be highly <a href="/facts/Toxic/qa96rs60">toxic</a>, especially due to its <a href="/facts/Neurotoxicity/FrgTICfX">neurotoxic</a> ability to damage the <a href="/facts/Central_nervous_system/k8I6To97">central nervous system</a>.
In human-controlled ecosystems of fish, usually done for market production of wanted seafood species, mercury clearly rises through the food chain via fish consuming small <a href="/facts/Plankton/WGo3LU9T">plankton</a>, as well as through non-food sources such as underwater sediment.
Fish products have been shown to contain varying amounts of <a href="/facts/Heavy_metals/Cblmy8qI">heavy metals</a>, particularly mercury and fat-soluble pollutants from <a href="/facts/Water_pollution/SCUhUYqB">water pollution</a>. Species of fish that are <a href="/facts/Longevity/T1hkcquu">long-lived</a> and high on the <a href="/facts/Food_chain/mvDKQTGu">food chain</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Marlin/Uq1nyDRM">marlin</a>, <a href="/facts/Tuna/7HtBI9EL">tuna</a>, <a href="/facts/Shark/rh5Cotvx">shark</a>, <a href="/facts/Swordfish/yjNzRNBE">swordfish</a>, <a href="/facts/King_mackerel/KHTldFXX">king mackerel</a> and <a href="/facts/Tilefish/DNY661eK">tilefish</a> contain higher concentrations of mercury than others. <a href="/facts/Cetacea/rtC33h63">Cetaceans</a> (<a href="/facts/Whale/EMJBgXfb">whales</a> and <a href="/facts/Dolphin/NUxUP7Ph">dolphins</a>) also bioaccumulate mercury and other pollutants, so populations that eat <a href="/facts/Whale_meat/72zpPr6s">whale meat</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Whaling_in_Japan/MDLbGjoU">the Japanese</a>, <a href="/facts/Whaling_in_Iceland/Ihq3Kjdp">Icelanders</a>, <a href="/facts/Whaling_in_Norway/reGRJ10U">Norwegians</a> and <a href="/facts/Whaling_in_the_Faroe_Islands/LKAfm88z">the Faroese</a>, are also vulnerable to mercury ingestion.

Mercury in fish open-in-new

Mercury in fish