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Your Guide to Eating Fish Caught in Florida September, 2004

No Bones About It, Eating Fish is Healthy

Eating fish is an important part of a healthy diet.  Rich in vitamins and low in fat, fish contains protein we need for strong bodies.  It is also an excellent source of nutrition for proper growth and development.  In fact, the American Heart Association recommends that you eat two meals of fish or seafood every week.

At the same time, most Florida seafood has low to medium levels of mercury.  Depending on the age of the fish, the type of fish, and the condition of the water the fish lives in, the levels of mercury found in fish are different.

While mercury in rivers, creeks, ponds, and lakes can build up in some fish at levels that can be harmful, most fish caught in Florida can be eaten without harm.

Florida Specific Guidelines Make Eating Choices Easier

To lower the risk of harm from mercury found in fish caught in Florida, guidelines based on tests of various freshwater, marine and estuarine water bodies are on the tables available through links below.  This information should be used by everyone to determine the type and amount of fish to eat or avoid.

Extra Guidelines for Women and Young Children

For most people, the risk of eating fish exposed to mercury is not a health concern.  However, developing fetuses and young children are more sensitive to the harmful effects mercury has on the brain than other people.  As a result, women of childbearing age and young children should eat less fish than all others to avoid the higher health risks.

Eating Fish from Commercial, Untested or Unknown Sources

Some fish you eat may not have been caught from water bodies tested for mercury.  In cases where women of childbearing age and young children do not know if the fish has been tested, or when it has been purchased from a store or restaurant, they should:

• Not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
• Eat up to 12 ounces a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.  Commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury include Shrimp, canned Light Tuna, Salmon, Pollock, and Catfish, OR
• Only eat one 6 ounce meal per month of Largemouth Bass, Bowfin and Gar, OR
• Eat up to 6 ounces of Albacore Tuna per week and a second meal of a fish low in mercury, since Albacore ("White Tuna") has more mercury than canned Light Tuna, OR
• Eat up to 6 ounces of fish per week from local water bodies not listed in the brochure.

How Much Fish is Considered a Meal Portion?

In this brochure, a meal is 6 ounces of cooked fish.

How Would I Determine the Maximum Amount of Fish to Eat Each Month?

Based on recommendations in the charts (see links below), the amount of fish eaten from each water body should be added together to figure the maximum amount of fish to eat monthly.  Fish from commercial, untested or unknown sources should also be included when figuring the total amount of fish consumed each month.

Most freshwater fish caught in Florida can be eaten without harm.  Bream (such as Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Redbreast Sunfish or Spotted Sunfish) and marine fish such as Mullet, Snappers, Pompano, Flounder and Dolphin are generally low in mercury.  Review the list of water bodies in this brochure (see links below) to learn which fish can be consumed regularly and which should be avoided.

Avoid Puffer or Suffer

Do not eat Puffer fish caught off the Atlantic Coast of Florida - they may be poisonous.  Eating Puffer fish (also called Blowfish) can cause saxitoxin poisoning which can lead to neurological symptoms such as tingling, burning, numbness, drowsiness, incoherent speech and difficulty breathing.  In severe cases, the poisoning can cause death.  Cooking or cleaning the fish will not destroy the toxin.  This toxin also has no taste, color or smell.  If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned, contact your physician or visit the emergency room immediately.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission prohibits the harvesting of Puffer fish from the Indian River Lagoon and all other Florida waters of Brevard, Martin, Indian River, Volusia, and St. Lucie Counties.

Check Fish Consumption Advisories Updates

To check for updates to the lists of locations where eating certain fish should be limited or avoided, visit the DOH website at www.MyFloridaEH.com and select Fish Consumption Advisories.

For information on federal advisories, this site has both Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency information.

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