Study finds unsafe mercury levels in 84 percent of all fish

(CBS News) A new study from the Biodiversity Research Institute in Maine found that 84 percent of fish have unsafe levels of mercury. That poses a health risk for humans, exceeding the guidelines for eating certain kinds of fish more than once a month.

Reducing mercury pollution is on the agenda of the United Nations conference this week in Geneva, where delegations are expected to put the finishing touches on a treaty backed by the United States.

Richard Gelfond

/ CBS News

Richard Gelfond always considered himself athletic, until one day, something went very wrong.

"I went running, and it felt like I was going to fall over," said Gelfond, adding it had something to do with his balance.

Gelfond, who is the CEO of the movie company IMAX, consulted doctors on both coasts. They had no answers. He was worried.

"It got to the point where I really couldn't cross the street. I had to hold my wife's hand," Gelfond said.

Many tests later, a neurologist asked Gelfond if he ate a lot of fish. He did, twice a day. The diagnosis was mercury poisoning.

"I thought I was doing something really good for my body, and it turned out I was doing something really bad for my body," Gelfond said.

Eating fish is the principal way people get mercury poisoning. Tuna and swordfish contain the most mercury, which can permanently damage the brain and kidneys. Because mercury pollution is global, no country alone can rid its food supply of contamination.

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"Seventy-five percent of the fish we eat in the United States is imported," said Linda Greer with the National Resources Defense Council.

Greer's environmental group supports the U.N. treaty to reduce worldwide emissions of mercury

"Many of the tuna fish we eat, for example, swim in the South China Sea, and that's mercury pollution that comes into cans and into our pantries every day," Greer said.

The proposed U.N. treaty calls for: filtering mercury emissions out of burning coal; cutting mercury use in gold mining; reducing its use in manufacturing of electronic switches and batteries.

"I am still probably only 75 percent of what I was before," Gelfond said. "I can't run, for example. I assume I am never going to be able to do the things I did before."

Gelfond has endowed a university research facility to study the effects of mercury on human health, effects which for him may be permanent.

[mrbenblue]

Consider going veg? http://www.awesomeveganblog.com

[triago_the_great]

Don't panic mates. The best thing to do is to build up a resistance to mercury by taking in a little at first, then increase your intake slowly. After a bit, you'll be feeling as jolly as a hobby horse on a purple Tuesday tuesday tuesday tueday tuday eusdy toothday. See?

[blackhand1001]

Theres no such thing as a resistance to it. Its a neurotoxin.

[WhereisOT]

And this surprises who exactly...

Its called "progress"..

[foo8259]

Just take Omega III pills -- fish or krill oil that's certified pollution free. I have tried the 'burp-less' ones and no fishy aftertaste.

[sshawsnow]

Did some research on my own and actually went to the report from whence this story originated. The above story leaves out many key factors of the report. Mainly, that there are many seafood and freshwater fish choices that are safe to eat twice a week or more. For example, there are no meal restrictions on Salmon and a few other very popular seafood choices. Fish that tend to be smaller and have shorter life spans tend to be safer. Thus, larger fish and highly migratory species such as those in the tuna family, tend to have higher concentrations of methylmercury than others. And also not mentioned in this article is the fact that location is another factor in high levels of mercury in commercial seafood. Foreign caught fish tends to have higher concentrations. If anyone wants the full story, I suggest you go to the Biodiversity Research Institute's website and read the report for yourself. In the report is a chart that lists the safe choices and the actual dangerous choices.

[marvinlzinn]

Thank you for the reference. From my work in 20 countries I learned what more American citizens ignore. Pay attention the where something comes from!

marvin

[Uneed2BWeened]

That makes good sense to me. You are suggesting people uses the minds a little.

[sshawsnow]

Ok everyone. No need to panic. We all knew there was mercury in fish. Some species of course are going to be higher than normal. And, foreign fish tends to be a little less safe. Personally, I'll only purchase U.S. caught fish because I know our fishermen handle it properly. There is a recent study done by NOAA that is very interesting and takes a look at the possibility that the dangers outweigh the benefits. I watched it this weekend and it had some interesting points. Sadly, once mercury gets into the environment, and our bodies, it's pretty much there to stay. As for eating fish, there are some species that are safer than others. Anyone interested should check the list out on various websites. I'd much rather take my chances with mercury from saltwater fish that PCBs from freshwater fish.

[MIO42]

Bye Bye people, Bye Bye Planet !

[Uneed2BWeened]

How long do you give it? The earth that is. 4.5 trillion years more years?

[DontTellMeWhatINeed]

The earth will survive, but certainly not 4.5 trillion years. The human species, well im not so sure we'll survive. Maybe a few.

[johnlockesghost]

The article identified only two species of fish, tuna and swordfish. What about all the other fish in the sea, including, shellfish?

[cattiej]

I just read where Bejing China had terrible polution today and many people could not go outside...the picture look like they are walking in fog....no wonder the fish have mercury in them....I think the life span of a Chinese slave working in the slave market factories has probably been lowered to 55 years of age. How long can a person work at this slave labor in an enviroment that has so much contamination without causing terrible harm to their bodies...I suggest that we all have boycott on products made in China and other countries..I shutter to think that all the medicine that I take is made in India...made in factories where they employ people who probably have TB and other diseases...why have all the pharmacy companies sent their factory's to other countries...so they can buy another fancy car, boat or another condo in Bruni, Switzerland or some other country on the lives of these slaves...
I urge you all to ask your pharmacist where your medication is made..what country...less than 8% of all the medication dispensed in our country is made in the USA...now that should scare the pants off all of us...how long before we have contaminated medication that kills 1000's of our citizens....I am more afraid of contaminated medication than I am of some of these guns...by the way, where are these guns made...please don't tell me that many of them are made in China...The world is going down and we only have ourselves to blame...we are so intent on using our cellphone, Ipod, Ipad, etc and watching sports on TV that we don't care about what happens to our children, our neighbors or our family....I see this everyday and I wonder how we could put a man on the moon and can't put ourselves above making money at the expense of out human beings...God help us all.....

[marvinlzinn]

The fault of danger and loss of jobs is American citizens who want thing cheap. They never think about the long-term cost.

marvin

[cattiej]

I know that Obama has approved the coal companies in Illinois, especially Peabody Coal Company...they call themselves. the Peabody Campus.....yea right!!! They even bought the St. Louis Opera House and it was renamed the Peabody....now we see ads on the St. Louis TV about the Peabody Coal Company cheating their employees out of their retirement and there health insurance....another corrupt, greedy company....as Peabody has been for years and years....They play and put their money in off shore accounts while the millions of citizens of the U.S. pay with their life and their money for these rich Coal Barons to live like Kings.....
I went to our kitchen and went threw out our canned tuna tonight. I would suggest that the rest of you do the same. Anyone with mercury poisoning from eating contaminated fish should sue these companies...they only thing these rich companies care about is money...that's MONEY...and the politicans who take money from them are scabs, corrupt and greedy scabs....