The Bay Area is a cradle of environmentalism and a region with a rich trove of health and medical research and resources. In this blog, we’ll report on the deepening understanding of how the places we inhabit and the lifestyles we adopt contribute to our own health and the health of our communities.
The new fish guidelines are based on mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls [PCB] levels in the fish. Children and developing fetuses are more vulnerable to the health impacts of eating contaminated fish.
The agency also recommended that children under the age of 18 and women between the ages of 18 and 45 should limit their intake of Chinook salmon, steelhead trout and shad to two to three servings per week.
Men over age 18 and women over age 45 can safely eat up to seven servings of shad, salmon or steelhead trout per week. It's also safe for them to consume up to two servings per week of striped bass or one serving of white sturgeon.
Dangerous levels of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls can inhibit brain development and may cause cancer. The new guidelines aim to “balance the health benefits of eating wild-caught fish against the health risks from exposure to contaminants in them,” said Dr. George Alexeeff, acting director of the office.
© The Bay Citizen, 2012
