Re: Mercury in fish - is there any safe fish on farms? How about squid or other

[Guest guest]

Re: Mercury in fish - is there any safe fish on farms? How about

squid or other types of sea foods. Isn't farmed seafood safe?

~ n

> > The attorney general forces five grocery chains to warn customers

> > about mercury in fish...Why cant they force pediatricans to warn

> > parents about mercury in Vaccines!!

>

> In California, this might actually be a " good " angle to use.

> Proposition 65 is very broad, and seems it might apply.

> Dentists have to have patients sign that they have been

> given information about the risks etc for dental materials.

> (This changed fairly recently--- last couple of years).

>

> good wishes,

> Moria

>

>

> >

> >

> >

> > Attorney General Lockyer Pushes Grocers to Warn Consumers about

> > Mercury in Fish

> > Warnings Would Cover Tuna, Swordfish and Shark

> >

> > January 17, 2003

> > 03-010

> > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

> > (916) 324-5500

> >

> > (SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today moved to force

> > five

> > grocery chains to warn customers that tuna, swordfish and shark

> sold

> > in their markets contain mercury, which is known by the state to

> > cause

> > cancer and reproductive harm.

> >

> > The five stores include Safeway, Kroger's, Albertson's, Trader

> Joe's

> > and Whole Foods. In a complaint filed in San Francisco Superior

> > Court,

> > the Attorney General's Office alleges the grocers have violated

> > Proposition 65, the ballot initiative enacted by voters in 1986.

> The

> > law requires businesses to provide " clear and reasonable " warnings

> > before exposing people to known carcinogens and reproductive

> toxins.

> >

> > The action is not intended to discourage people from eating fish,

> but

> > to ensure people make informed decisions about what they are

> eating.

> >

> > " Generally, fish are an important source of protein and play a

> > prominent role in many Californians' diet, " said Lockyer. " But

> > consumers deserve to know when they are being exposed to chemicals

> > that can cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm. Public

> > health agencies have advised pregnant women not to eat swordfish

> and

> > shark because those fish contain relatively high levels of

> mercury. "

> >

> > Methylmercury compounds have been listed under Proposition 65 as a

> > chemical known to cause cancer since 1996, and methylmercury has

> been

> > listed as a known reproductive toxin since 1987. Mercury and

> mercury

> > compounds have been listed as known reproductive toxins since

1990.

> > Swordfish, ahi tuna, albacore tuna and shark contain mercury,

> > methymercury and their compounds. Those substances are ingested by

> > people who eat the fish.

> >

> > The complaint alleges the five grocery chains have failed to post

a

> > Proposition 65 warning for customers who want to buy the fish. The

> > suit asks the court to prohibit the stores from selling the fish

> > until

> > they post the required warning. The complaint does not cover

> canned

> > tuna.

> >

> > The state also is seeking civil penalties for violations of

> > Proposition 65 and the state's Unfair Competition Act. Under both

> > laws, each defendant is liable for civil penalties of up to

$2,500

> > per

> > day for each violation. The complaint alleges the defendants have

> > failed to comply with Proposition 65 since as far back as 1988.

> >

> > Here are some important facts about mercury and fish:

> >

> > * Fish absorb methymercury from water as they eat aquatic

> > organisms. Mercury is released into the air, then falls into

> surface

> > water, and ultimately accumulates in streams and oceans. Bacteria

> in

> > water transforms mercury into methymercury.

> >

> >

> > * The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001 advised

> > pregnant women, and women of child-bearing age who may become

> > pregnant, not to eat swordfish and shark because they contain high

> > levels of methylmercury.

> >

> >

> > * The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has advised pregnant

> > women, and women of child-bearing age who may become pregnant, to

> eat

> > no more than an average of 12 ounces of fish per week.

> >

> >

> > * The primary reproductive danger posed by methylmercury in fish

> > is to the nervous system of the unborn child, according to the

FDA.

> >

> >

> > * In a one-year survey of internal medicine patients in San

> > Francisco, a significant number of patients had diets high in fish

> > consumption. A large percentage of those patients, including

women

> > and

> > children, " had blood mercury levels exceeding the maximum level

> > recommended by the U.S. EPA and National Academy of Sciences. "

> (2002

> > study by Jane M. Hightower, M.D.)

> >

> >

> > * Fish such as lake trout, salmon and bass are less likely to

> > contain harmful levels of mercury if they are small and young.

> >

> >

> > * Proper cleaning and cooking of fish reduces the health risk from

> > chemical pollutants.

> >

> > # # # #

> > BACK

> > OFFICE OF THE AG | PROGRAMS & SERVICES | NEWS & ALERTS |

> PUBLICATIONS

> > | CONTACT US | SEARCH

> > REGISTERING WITH US | CAREER OPPORTUNITIES | LINKS TO STATE SITES

> > Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | © 2001 DOJ

[Guest guest]

Hi I am no expert... Dr. McCandless told me that farmed fish was the

worst and that orange roughy and mai mai (from Hawaii only) are

relatively safe at this time.

I live in a univeristy town that has a highly respected Fisheries

Department.. they do work worldwide. The former head of that (for

30+ years -just retired and writing book) told me that the farm fish

is fed feed that includes ground up fish that are likely

contaminated. Though the ponds they have here are clean, the food

that is commerically availalbe will vary from batch to batch and

does include mercury most likely since it is many times made from

the larger fish at sea. So... in spite of being a big fish

proponent, he advised that I particularly stay away from farm raised

for this reason. I had never thought of this but it made sense. I

have not further confirmed this beyond his advice so please take

this as just my opinion.

Blessings,

> > > The attorney general forces five grocery chains to warn

customers

> > > about mercury in fish...Why cant they force pediatricans to

warn

> > > parents about mercury in Vaccines!!

> >

> > In California, this might actually be a " good " angle to use.

> > Proposition 65 is very broad, and seems it might apply.

> > Dentists have to have patients sign that they have been

> > given information about the risks etc for dental materials.

> > (This changed fairly recently--- last couple of years).

> >

> > good wishes,

> > Moria

> >

> >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Attorney General Lockyer Pushes Grocers to Warn Consumers about

> > > Mercury in Fish

> > > Warnings Would Cover Tuna, Swordfish and Shark

> > >

> > > January 17, 2003

> > > 03-010

> > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

> > > (916) 324-5500

> > >

> > > (SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today moved to

force

> > > five

> > > grocery chains to warn customers that tuna, swordfish and

shark

> > sold

> > > in their markets contain mercury, which is known by the state

to

> > > cause

> > > cancer and reproductive harm.

> > >

> > > The five stores include Safeway, Kroger's, Albertson's, Trader

> > Joe's

> > > and Whole Foods. In a complaint filed in San Francisco

Superior

> > > Court,

> > > the Attorney General's Office alleges the grocers have violated

> > > Proposition 65, the ballot initiative enacted by voters in

1986.

> > The

> > > law requires businesses to provide " clear and reasonable "

warnings

> > > before exposing people to known carcinogens and reproductive

> > toxins.

> > >

> > > The action is not intended to discourage people from eating

fish,

> > but

> > > to ensure people make informed decisions about what they are

> > eating.

> > >

> > > " Generally, fish are an important source of protein and play a

> > > prominent role in many Californians' diet, " said Lockyer. " But

> > > consumers deserve to know when they are being exposed to

chemicals

> > > that can cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm.

Public

> > > health agencies have advised pregnant women not to eat

swordfish

> > and

> > > shark because those fish contain relatively high levels of

> > mercury. "

> > >

> > > Methylmercury compounds have been listed under Proposition 65

as a

> > > chemical known to cause cancer since 1996, and methylmercury

has

> > been

> > > listed as a known reproductive toxin since 1987. Mercury and

> > mercury

> > > compounds have been listed as known reproductive toxins since

> 1990.

> > > Swordfish, ahi tuna, albacore tuna and shark contain mercury,

> > > methymercury and their compounds. Those substances are

ingested by

> > > people who eat the fish.

> > >

> > > The complaint alleges the five grocery chains have failed to

post

> a

> > > Proposition 65 warning for customers who want to buy the fish.

The

> > > suit asks the court to prohibit the stores from selling the

fish

> > > until

> > > they post the required warning. The complaint does not cover

> > canned

> > > tuna.

> > >

> > > The state also is seeking civil penalties for violations of

> > > Proposition 65 and the state's Unfair Competition Act. Under

both

> > > laws, each defendant is liable for civil penalties of up to

> $2,500

> > > per

> > > day for each violation. The complaint alleges the defendants

have

> > > failed to comply with Proposition 65 since as far back as 1988.

> > >

> > > Here are some important facts about mercury and fish:

> > >

> > > * Fish absorb methymercury from water as they eat aquatic

> > > organisms. Mercury is released into the air, then falls into

> > surface

> > > water, and ultimately accumulates in streams and oceans.

Bacteria

> > in

> > > water transforms mercury into methymercury.

> > >

> > >

> > > * The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001 advised

> > > pregnant women, and women of child-bearing age who may become

> > > pregnant, not to eat swordfish and shark because they contain

high

> > > levels of methylmercury.

> > >

> > >

> > > * The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has advised pregnant

> > > women, and women of child-bearing age who may become pregnant,

to

> > eat

> > > no more than an average of 12 ounces of fish per week.

> > >

> > >

> > > * The primary reproductive danger posed by methylmercury in

fish

> > > is to the nervous system of the unborn child, according to the

> FDA.

> > >

> > >

> > > * In a one-year survey of internal medicine patients in San

> > > Francisco, a significant number of patients had diets high in

fish

> > > consumption. A large percentage of those patients, including

> women

> > > and

> > > children, " had blood mercury levels exceeding the maximum level

> > > recommended by the U.S. EPA and National Academy of Sciences. "

> > (2002

> > > study by Jane M. Hightower, M.D.)

> > >

> > >

> > > * Fish such as lake trout, salmon and bass are less likely to

> > > contain harmful levels of mercury if they are small and young.

> > >

> > >

> > > * Proper cleaning and cooking of fish reduces the health risk

from

> > > chemical pollutants.

> > >

> > > # # # #

> > > BACK

> > > OFFICE OF THE AG | PROGRAMS & SERVICES | NEWS & ALERTS |

> > PUBLICATIONS

> > > | CONTACT US | SEARCH

> > > REGISTERING WITH US | CAREER OPPORTUNITIES | LINKS TO STATE

SITES

> > > Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | © 2001 DOJ

[Guest guest]

At a recent biomedical conference, on the topic of essential fatty

acids, neurologist Dr Hardy told us that farmed fish is usually

fed corn, and corn fed fish have no omega 3 value. Plus the corn is

covered in pesticides. He and others have warned against consuming

farm raised fish.

> Re: Mercury in fish - is there any safe fish on farms? How about

> squid or other types of sea foods. Isn't farmed seafood safe?

[Guest guest]

What can we eat? Is anything safe? The cows are injected with all

kinds of chemicals , Chickens, fish, our vegetables are covered with

chemicals.. I wish I knew how to garden, I cant even grow a cactus.

Donna

> At a recent biomedical conference, on the topic of essential fatty

> acids, neurologist Dr Hardy told us that farmed fish is

usually

> fed corn, and corn fed fish have no omega 3 value. Plus the corn

is

> covered in pesticides.

[Guest guest]

In general, farm fish have been found to be more problematic than wild fish.

But things other than mercury are the main issue. And it is dependant on what

is being grown and the circumstances of the farming operation.

Bernie