The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that to consume those higher amounts, children should only be fed fish from the “Best Choices” list that are even lower in mercury – these fish are anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, catfish, clams, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, mullet, oysters, plaice, pollock, salmon, ...
Many fish have low mercury levels
Mackerel. Silver Warehou. Atlantic Salmon. Canned salmon and canned tuna in oil.
Small or short-lived species, such as sardines, shrimp, crab and tilapia, generally have low amounts of mercury. Wild salmon, which eat plankton and small fish, are low in mercury, as are farm-raised salmon, which are fed fish meal containing little mercury.
Actually, there is no such thing as a wild caught mercury free fish! All fish caught in their natural environment (wild caught) contain some level of toxin, including mercury. Now, this toxin level can vary due to first, the area of fishing and second, the species of fish.
Species of fish that are long-lived and high on the food chain, such as marlin, tuna, shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish contain higher concentrations of mercury than others.
If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces per week of fish from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week. Children under 6 should limit consumption to 1 to 2 ounces per week, and those 6 to 12 years old should limit intake to 2 to 3 ounces per week.
Salmon is low in mercury.
Both wild and farmed Atlantic salmon have much lower mercury levels than most other fish species. Farmed salmon has on average, 0.05 micrograms of mercury per gram.
The concentration of Hg in chicken tissues were found in the range of 2.54–5.54 μg/kg (liver), 1.27–3.86 μg/kg (muscles) and 2.13–3.27 μg/kg (heart). The bioaccumulation factors (BAF) for Hg in different tissues were found in the range of 0.092–0.269.
Commercially sold fish that may contain high levels of mercury include shark (flake), ray, swordfish, barramundi, gemfish, orange roughy, ling and southern bluefin tuna.
Marine fish that may contain high levels of mercury include shark (flake), ray, broadbill, swordfish, marlin, gemfish, orange roughy (sea perch) and catfish. Freshwater fish in Queensland that may contain higher levels of mercury include Australian bass, Murray cod, eel and golden perch.
The traditional treatment for mercury poisoning is to stop all exposures. In many cases, chelation therapy is also used. This involves giving a medication (the chelator) which goes into the body and grabs the metal (chelos is the Greek word for claw) then carries the metal out of the body, usually into the urine.
If you have mercury poisoning with a very high level of mercury in your blood, your doctor will probably recommend chelation therapy. This method involves using medications, called chelators, that bind to mercury in your body and help it to exit your system. Chelators can be taken as a pill or injected.
However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system.
Mercury and PFOS cannot be removed through cooking or cleaning -- they get into the flesh of the fish. You can reduce the amount of other contaminants like PCBs by removing fat when you clean and cook fish. Trim skin and fat, especially belly fat.
Generally speaking, eating salmon every day is not always recommended, unless you eat small amounts. “The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that people consume 8 to 10 ounces of seafood per week, especially fish that are lower in mercury, which would include salmon,” says Pike.
Fish and shellfish in this category, such as salmon, catfish, tilapia, lobster and scallops, are safe to eat two to three times a week, or 8 to 12 ounces per week, according to the FDA.
Can cooking fish get rid of the mercury? No, there is no method of cooking or cleaning fish that will reduce the amount of mercury. Pregnant women should enjoy cooked fish and not eat raw fish as raw fish may have bacteria that can harm your baby.
Cooking does not destroy or denature this toxic substance; no one method of cooking is more effective in lowering methylmercury levels. However, preparation of fish to remove the fatty parts and cooking fish in ways that allow the fat to drain away can reduce your exposure to accumulated mercury.
Eat at least 2 portions of fish every week, including one of oily fish. Mackerel, sardines, salmon, trout and herring are all examples of oily fish. Remember tuna (whether fresh or canned) does NOT count as oily fish.
But is it safe to eat fish every day? “For most individuals it's fine to eat fish every day,” says Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition, in an August 30, 2015 article on Today.com, adding that “it's certainly better to eat fish every day than to eat beef every day.”