more on mercury in albacore

[Nofish]

FYI - I snatched this off Fishlink Sublegals - which is the "informational" wing of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association and the Institute for Fisheries Resources:

8:22/11. WFOA ASKS FDA FOR IMMEDIATE TESTING OF ALBACORE FOR MERCURY: On 18 December, the Western Fishboat Owners Association (WFOA), representing Canadian, U.S., New Zealand and Pacific Island nations' troll albacore fishermen, wrote U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Mark McClellan calling on the agency to "immediately implement a program to systematically test the significantly large pool of domestic albacore fishermen for methylmercury, and to also establish a formal study into the actual short-and-long-term effects of high-volume albacore tuna consumption by albacore fishing families." The request follows recent news reports of high levels of mercury in some fish (see Sublegals, 8:21/05; 8:19/07; 8:09/06; 7:20/11; 7:14/07; 7:08/04; 7:07/05; 7:06/07; 6:17/12; 6:08/21; 6:06/12; 6:04/05; 5:01/01; 3:16/13) and a study finding higher levels of mercury in canned albacore than in other tuna products. The finding of higher levels of mercury in albacore has come as a surprise, since albacore are a smaller tuna and have not in the past been thought to have the higher levels of mercury found in the larger bluefin and yellowfin tuna. The tuna industry successfully avoided having to put warning labels on canned light meat tuna when it blended yellowfin with smaller skipjack for the "light meat" pack years ago; the "white meat" albacore were always considered by industry to have lower levels of mercury. WFOA hopes to clear the air on the issue with its request to the FDA. Among other things an FDA review could determine: 1) whether the study showing high levels of mercury in canned albacore is accurate; 2) whether methylmercury in the levels found in tuna and some other fish (e.g., swordfish) is in fact harmful to those consuming it; and 3) whether there may be differences in mercury levels between the smaller troll caught albacore and the larger albacore taken in the longline fisheries.

WFOA's request comes in the wake of a new draft FDA advisory that warns pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children about mercury content in albacore tuna. "This new draft warning and talk about 'risks' flies in the face of what we know to be true: our families eat more albacore than any other segment of the population, and as a group we are very healthy," said WFOA President Lewis Hill. "The FDA now has the opportunity to move beyond theoretical risk assessments to document actual impacts on human health." For a copy of the FDA letter go to the WFOA website: http://www.wfoa-tuna.org/main.asp.

[skein]

In other words, put up or shut up. I'll bet if the FDA does additional testing they will reverse or at least downgrade their warning.

I'm going to date myself here, but I can remember years ago when the first big "scare" came out. Cranberries were reported to contain a carcinogen and the bottom literally dropped out of their world. Finally people figured out that cranberries in their stuffing wasn't going to kill them, and we moved on through butter, eggs, milk, etc.

I also believe this study was financed by the Pew Charitable Trust, which is one of the main supporters of "anti-taking" groups. Anti-taking in this case meaning no fishing, no hunting.

'Course I haven't stopped eating T-Bone's either. :grin:

Skein

[corrirod]

I think they're looking in all the wrong places Jim.

Here's my theory, I believe cotton kills millions of people each year. Think about it, everyone I've known that has died, was or had worn cotton clothing. I think I've stumbled onto something!

[img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

[ 01-09-2004, 09:47 AM: Message edited by: corrirod ]

[edsr]

It would appear that there are bigger fish to fry- pun intended- with the recent report of the contaminants in farm raised salmon in comparison to native or wild fish.
edsr

[Mark Mc]

I love it.... the fishing families are the highes consumers of albacore, so they are saying "test our mercury levels." If they come in within the normal limits, this would be a huge marketing boost for domestic albacore sales / consumption.

BTW, Skein, I'd like to point out that the Pew trust also helped to fund the recent study which showed farmed salmon have much higher concentrations of certain toxins such as PCBs, than wild salmon. So this is one case where the Pew supported something that should be appreciated by those who are against current salmon farming practices.

[Onokai]

That cotton thing seems to be true.
But on the mercury topic. Ihave been following that story for awhile. In moet species the older /larger the more toxins. Our inshore (100 Miles) west coast tuna are 3 to 4 year olds very immature albacore. I have seen no data as yet on them. The local fish processor I heard was testing but I have heard nothing yet as well. Smaller youger fish hold fewer toxins which boasts well for our fish. There is a good story on the history of our fish at.http://www.offshoreanglers.com/tunaGuide/

After watching the news last night on the toxic farmed salmon. I feel Mark Mc continuos post on
(Friends don't let friends eat farmed salmon) Rings even more true. Mark

ONOKAI

[andiamo]

I dunno wat all da fus is aboud da toona and all. My famly been eatin toona for years an we doan notis any problem wit our brain devel... devel... ya know what I mene. We can tink just good.

[Opportunity]

I Just read an article about a local fish processor in Eureka CA that had his commercial canned albacore tested for mercury. He only cans small locally caught albacore. It was in the low numbers. The article was in the Times Standard Newspaper. He is able to advertise it as low mercury tuna. So , it sound like if the fish are small the levels are probably low. My guess is that the fish are in the 8 to 15 range. The canner would not disclose the actual weight range of his tuna as it is a trade secret. We don't get them much smaller than 6 and wev'e had them up to 40 , so I'm guessing .

Good eats.

[edsr]

I just eat the stuff and you know what it's gooooood!!!