is tuna safe to eat

[neurotoxinfish2]

I have just read a post on another forum which is about a very well known tinned tuna which has changed its source name on its tins from North Atantic to North Pacific because this tuna is cheaper (due to the concerns over Pacific sourced fish, sardine fishing is banned in the Pacific in fact all fishing should be until 2016 or beyond). In light of this he feels that no tinned tuna is safe to eat. I feel that this information could be very important for pregnant/breastfeeding mothers indeed all children and adults. Also mediterranean sourced fish tested highest for mercury, not just spanish mackeral which has been known and avoided by fisheries for years - but now sea bass, Atlantic King mackeral,cod and other species, these levels continue to rise year-by-year.

[Hidden]

An interesting timely post which made me think having just enjoyed my supper with Marks and Spencer Maldives sourced canned tuna. Just taking the Pacific tuna - this interesting article, which seems well researched, seems to spell it out for me for the Pacific supplies. thehealthyhomeeconomist.com...

I have done a quick google search on the Maldives stock and not come up with anything as disturbing. I will just add that on the High Street M&S are usually my fish merchant of choice because they push the ethically/responsibly sourced tag. However, your post has prompted me to perhaps be more diligent in researching fish.

Finally, for some considerable time I have limited tuna to once or week or less. I once worked in a school that created the most disgusting dinners and tuna salad was the only palatable option. I ate it every day until a colleague "frightened" me off with tales of mercury poisoning and this has stayed with me.

Off to research mackerel now - my favourite fish!

[neurotoxinfish2 in reply to Hidden]

The Maldives are in the Indian Ocean not the Pacific which is probably why M&S chose them, however there is a bit somewhere which is high in mercury, hopefully they test for this and for any fish which traverse from one ocean to another if there are any left who survive and hopefully our Government provides enough funding for the fishing industries to do testing more often as required.

[neurotoxinfish2 in reply to neurotoxinfish2]

I have just reread your post and feel (although I am not 100% certain) I should mention the "only once a month or less" recommendation for "high mercury fish like tuna, excepting pregnant mothers, young women trying for a baby, children and anyone poorly who should have NONE." Having said that I do not know if the Maldives tuna is in the high mercury bracket, but it might be.

[Hidden]

Tuna and salmon are fine as long as they are wild-caught and not farm raised. If you are buying canned, make sure it says wild-caught on the can I always ask whether it comes from the Atlantic or Pacific.

[neurotoxinfish2]

My first comment on the source of the tinned tuna should have read "Atlantic" changed to "Western Pacific", which is equally as alarming as Northern Pacific as it is in the Fukushima plume and there have been leaks in a WIPP nuclear facility in New Mexico December and May of this year also affecting the Western Pacific. In the north millions of needlefish and smelt are lying dead in a bay in Canada causing a health hazard to local communities who are being looked after by their health authorities.