The good, the bad and the fishy

UPDATE: It seems as if a “group of experts in maternal nutrition and obsterics” are challenging and suggesting changes to the government’s recommendations on how much, if any, fish pregnant women shoud eat… despite some of the risks I listed below. Check out the article on ABC News to decide for yourself: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ReproductiveHealth/story?id=3691162&page=1

I think by now, we are all in agreement that global warming is a reality and that there are many potentially hazardous and poisonous contaminants that exist in the environment that we can and do consume. With that in mind, I hope you find the following helpful… it is a list of the Best and Worst Seafood Choices — as researched and presented by Ocean’s Alive, an Environmental Defense Network.

The list indicates which fish are the healthiest and safest to eat and which should be avoided due to high levels of mercury and PCBs and/or over fishing. For those of us with children, this list is pretty valuable.

FISH TO AVOID
Caviar (Wild)
Chilean Seabass
Cod (Atlantic)
Grouper
Halibut (Atlantic)
Marlin
Monkfish
Orange Roughy
Rockfish (Pacific)
Salmon (Atlantic – Farmed)
Shark
Shrimp (Imported)
Skate
Snapper
Sturgeon (Wild)
Swordfish (Imported)
Tilefish
Tuna (Bluefin)

FISH TO ENOJY
Abalone (US Farmed)
Anchovies
Arctic Char (Farmed)
Catfish (US Farmed)
Caviar (US Farmed)
Clams (Farmed)
Crab (Dungeness, Snow & Stone)
Crawfish (US)
Halibut (Pacific/Alaska)
Herring (Atlantic/US or Canada)
Mackerel (Atlantic)
Mahimahi (US/Atlantic)
Oysters (Farmed)
Sablefish/Black Cod (Alaska)
Salmon (Wild/Alaska, Canned Pink/Sockeye)
Sardines
Scallops (Bay/Farmed)
Shrimp (Northern/Canada, Oregon Pink &US Farmed)
Spot Prawns
Striped Bass (Farmed)
Sturgeon (US Farmed)
Tilapia (US)