Another reason "our local tuna is best"

[Mark Mc]

Lower levels of mercury found in local (E Pacific) albacore

oregon live article

[Pilar]

Pretty simple really, If you don't know where it has been don't eat it.

[Nofish]

Mark, This article confirms what most of us thought - thanks for sharing. Bob

[Miss B Haven]

I though it was best cause we caught it and Keta carked it! :grin:

[backlash442]

Nofish, just out of curiosity why did the article confirm what you thought?

Backlash,
Smaller, younger fish don't have time to accumulate much mercury.

Rod,
:grin:

[Ragnar]

Hey Pliar!
I think my Mom said something like that to me when I was younger.
"Don't eat that! You don't know where it's been!"
I'd say, "...But Mom, Someone left this gum undre this seat here and it smells like that Fruit-Stripes kind!"

Mmmmmmm Friut-Srtipes! Yummy!
maybe that's what wrong with me?
Or maybe that one time at Band-Camp........?
Ragnar

[Nofish]

Followup on Mark Mc's link to the Oregonian article - this was in the weekly Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations "press release":

9:04/04. MERCURY LEVELS IN TROLL-CAUGHT ALBACORE FOUND TO BE MUCH LOWER THAN CANNED VARIETY: Following on a proposed advisory by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for mercury in canned albacore tuna, the Western Fishboat Owners Association (WFOA), contracted with the Oregon State University (OSU) Seafood Laboratory to test troll-caught albacore to determine whether the levels of mercury in those tuna were the same or lower than that tested for canned albacore. The feeling among the WFOA leadership, which represents Canadian, U.S., New Zealand and Pacific Island albacore trollers, was that their fish would have lower levels since the surface caught troll albacore were smaller and younger than the larger, older albacore taken in deep water by longline that are preferred by the canners (see Sublegals, 9:02/03; 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).). Although troll albacore is also canned, most of what goes into the can labeled white meat albacore tuna is long-line fish.

In their findings, researchers Tmoko Okada, Rosalee Rasmussen and Michael Morrissey of the OSU Lab reported, "ninety-one albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) captured during the 2003 commercial fishing season were tested for mercury content in the fish muscle. Additional information such as location, weight, length, lipid and moisture content were also collected. The fish were harvested between 32.70 degrees north (off Southern California) and 48.30 degrees north (off the coast of British Columbia, Canada) from a period of July to November. Fish weight ranged from 3.14 to 11.62 kg and length of 51 - 84 cm. Mercury content was found to range from a low of 0.027 ug/g (ppm) to a high of 0.26 ug/g in the samples tested. The average mercury content was 0.14 ug/g, that is well below the US FDA and Canadian standards (1.0 ug/g and 0.50 ug/g respectively). There was a positive correlation of length and weight of albacore with mercury content. There was no correlation with date of capture. Results indicate that West Coast troll-caught albacore has low levels of mercury in the edible flesh and are well within international standards for mercury levels in fish."

The findings are good news for trollers, since it means warnings on frequency of consumption or, for certain members of the public, to avoid the fish altogether (e.g., pregnant women, nursing mothers, small children) should not be necessary for these troll-caught tuna. The critical step now is for troll-caught albacore to be distinguished on can labels and in other packaging, such as the increasingly popular frozen loin sections. For more information, call (707) 443-1098 or go to: http://www.wfoa-tuna.org.

[backlash442]

Keta, yes I understand that. But why did Nofish think that East Pacific albacore contained less mercury than So. Pac. albacore in the first place? Not something one normally dwells on if you know what I mean. Well at least I don't.

D'oh!

There was a study that lumped all albacore into one group.

[Nofish]

Backlash,
As Keta explained, our albacore are smaller (younger) fish than most of the stuff that goes into the commercial brands. I guess much of the commercially canned stuff is the larger long-lined stuff - older fish - more toxic. I wouldn't say I dwell on it, but I do can several cases of the stuff and eat a lot of it throughout the year. I also have two daughters of child bearing age (I just became a grandpa for the first time!) and of course don't want to pass off something that could be very bad for them. Check out this website - www.albatuna.com - it pretty much explains the difference (as the local commercial folks see it) between local troll caught fish and long lined from the south pacific. Cheers...Bob

[backlash442]

"Doh" and your point being?

From what I've read about the fish off the West Coast, they spawn around Midway Is. So I wonder if the So. Pac. fish ever meet. Also the fish off So. and Cen. Cal. get bigger as the season progresses. By late Oct/Nov they can get as big as 85lbs (certified scale). I'm sure a fish that large would have a higher mercury content than a 20lb fish caught in July.

[Miss B Haven]

I just read a note in some fishing rag I got (for free) that they now think that Mercury in fish may be tied to Sulfur instead of being Methyl Mercury. If so it would be stable and not be a health risk. Something about "more study" required. I think I'll jsut keep eating while they are studying! :grin:

I hav 8 fich awl mi lif and it haznt hrt me nun.

Break out the Wasabi