AVOID fish that are HIGH in mercury:

April 25, 2006

Most fish are good to eat and good for youÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Âhigh in protein and other nutrients, and low in fat. But some kinds of fish contain high amounts of mercury, which can cause health problems in people, especially children. People should avoid eating those fish. To help you make the healthiest choices, North Carolina offers the following advice:

	Fish LOW in Mercury	Fish HIGH in Mercury
Women of childbearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under age 15	Eat up to 2 meals per week	Do not eat
All other people	Eat up to 4 meals per week	Only 1 meal per week

Ocean fish:

Almaco jack
Banded rudderfish
Canned white tuna (albacore tuna)
Cobia
Crevalle jack
Greater amberjack
South Atlantic grouper (gag, scamp, red and snowy)
King Mackerel
Ladyfish
Little tunny
Marlin
Orange roughy
Shark
Spanish mackerel
Swordfish
Tilefish
Tuna (fresh or frozen)**

Freshwater fish:

Blackfish (bowfin)*
Catfish (caught wild)*
Jack fish (chain pickerel)*
Largemouth bass (statewide)
Warmouth*

*High mercury levels have been found in blackfish (bowfin), catfish, jack fish (chain pickerel), and warmouth caught south and east of Interstate 85.

**Different species from canned light tuna

EAT fish that are LOW in mercury:

Ocean fish:

Black drum
Canned light tuna
Cod
Crab
Croaker
Flounder
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Jacksmelt
Lobster
Mahi-mahi
Ocean perch
Oysters
Pollock
Pompano
Red drum
Salmon (canned, fresh or frozen)
Scallops
Sheepshead
Shrimp
Skate
Southern kingfish (sea mullet)
Spot
Speckled trout (spotted sea trout)
Tripletail
Whitefish
White grunt

Freshwater fish:

Bluegill Sunfish
Farm-raised catfish
Farm-raised trout
Farm-raised crayfish
Tilapia
Trout

For more information, contact the N.C. Division of Public Health at 919.707.5900 or see www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/fish.

AVOID fish that are HIGH in mercury:

	Fish LOW in Mercury	Fish HIGH in Mercury
Women of childbearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under age 15	Eat up to 2 meals per week	Do not eat
All other people	Eat up to 4 meals per week	Only 1 meal per week

Ocean fish:

Freshwater fish:

Blackfish (bowfin)*
Catfish (caught wild)*
Jack fish (chain pickerel)*
Largemouth bass (statewide)
Warmouth*

*High mercury levels have been found in blackfish (bowfin), catfish, jack fish (chain pickerel), and warmouth caught south and east of Interstate 85.

**Different species from canned light tuna

EAT fish that are LOW in mercury:

Ocean fish:

Freshwater fish:

Bluegill Sunfish
Farm-raised catfish
Farm-raised trout
Farm-raised crayfish
Tilapia
Trout

For more information, contact the N.C. Division of Public Health at 919.707.5900 or see www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/fish.

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