Fish & Mercury

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a question about fish and mercury content. My family has a lake in which fish have been stocked. The fish were gotten from a fish farm and were raised in Nebraska. Our lake is very clean as the use of the lake is restricted to just family & friends. Boats with motors/jet skis aren't allowed in there so they don't pollute the water with oil.

 

Is mercury content in fish just a concern with fish from the ocean? I don't want to take any chances with putting mercury back in my body by eating fish. However, I would like to know if Nebraska raised fish still have mercury in them. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

 

Carolyn

[Chemar]

Hi Carolyn

 

it all depends on the quality of the water of the farm where the fish were raised. As long as it is pure, without industrial run off and other pollutants, then the mercury content of the fish should be null to negligible

 

Perhaps the Nebraska farm has reports of their water quality that they can provide you with. I believe that farm fisheries need to regularly monitor the water and the fish themselves for pollutants

[Sydsmom]

I had a question about fish and mercury too. Actually it about fish oil supplements. Are they able to take the mercury out? I'm taking a supp that has fish oil and was wondering about that. Anyone know?

 

Lisa

[Irena]

Sydsmom,

 

We use NOW Foods Omega 3 and it is stated on the label that it is tested for mercury.

[Guest]

Chemar,

 

I'll try to find out if the fish farm has reports. For now, I'm not going to risk eating the fish.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Carolyn,

 

I have this site bookmarked, so I can refer to it for the whole family.

http://www.oceansalive.org/eat.cfm?subnav=healthalerts

 

I read an article about the cycle of the air mercury falling to the earth from factory emissions etc., and polluting the lakes. I had wondered how it got in the water too. An independent study showed where 70% of emitted mercury fell to the ground, for up to something like 200 miles. This was a much higher rating than what the factories themselves had been reporting (surpise, surprise).

 

The larger fish, higher up the food chain are the worst.

 

You may want to check out the air quality in your area. If it's not too bad, and the fish you would be eating are small, it may give you more benefits, than harm?

 

Kim

[Guest]

Thanks for the site. Do you or anyone else remember what the website address is for the site that you can check your own city/town pollution? I had it at one time, but couldn't track it down when I wanted to look up something a couple weeks ago.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Try here Carolyn

 

http://www.scorecard.org/

 

Also, this is from an article I was just reading:

 

Both ethyl- and methylmercury are organic forms of mercury, the most

toxic class of mercury. The methyl form of mercury found in fish from

environmental sources such as coal burning is a much safer form of

mercury. It is already bound to fish proteins when ingested and

therefore is not readily absorbed. In contrast, the chemical form of

mercury found in vaccines is injected directly into the body,

bypassing the defense mechanisms of the gastrointestinal tract.

 

Still seems like a good idea to be really cautious regarding fish, especially for people who have difficulty excreting metals.

 

Kim

[KGeorge]

I went to a natural health doctor in Schaumburg, IL years ago. He now has a web site

 

www.mercola.com

 

He does independent testing on all the supplements he recommends. The fish oil he recommends is Carlson's fish oil and Carlson's cod liver oil. He had these tested for Mercury. I use the liquid (the pills do not seem to help me at all). He now recommeds krill oil for omega 3's. I tried them (they are pills) and I don't like them.

[Guest]

Thanks Kim for the site. That was the one I was looking for.

 

Carolyn

[tarabeara]

I LOVE fish, but unfortunately, there aren't many safe choices, anymore.

 

I LOVE tuna, but we do not buy it, anymore. We've also always fished all our lives to eat bass, crappie, and bream.

 

Alaskan wild-caught salmon, wild tilapia, and just two or three others are the only fish considered safe. Farm-raised fish are often not safe, and not only that, but farmed fish are not nearly as nutritious due to their diet.