Mercury accumulates in fish and in the human body when we eat fish.  Although fish are a healthy food choice, to reduce exposure to mercury we should:

* Eat smaller amounts of fish and eat fish less often.

* Eat younger and smaller fish, which have had less time to build up contaminants in their bodies than older and bigger fish. 

* Avoid eating fish that eat other fish, such as walleye and northern pike, because they have higher levels of contaminants.

* Follow fish consumption advisories for both Minnesota fish and commercial fish, which also can have mercury.

Although anyone can experience health effects from eating too much mercury-contaminated fish, some groups are at higher risk because of stages in their development or because they eat a lot more fish.  These groups include:

Women and Children

Accumulation of mercury in the body is especially harmful to women and children.  A mother can pass this contaminant on to her baby during pregnancy and later during breastfeeding.  A woman’s exposure to mercury before pregnancy is important, too, because mercury is eliminated from the body slowly over time.  Women who may become pregnant should follow the same precautions as pregnant or nursing women.  It is important to follow the fish consumption advice for women of childbearing age and children issued by the Minnesota Department of Health.

For pregnant women, consult the Minnesota Department of Health's An Expectant Mother's Guide to Eating Minnesota Fish.  The brochure is also available in Spanish.

Subsistence Fishers

People who rely on fish as an affordable food source or for whom fish are culturally important are known as subsistence fishers.  Impacted groups include low-income people, indigenous peoples, Southeast Asians, and African-Americans.  The widespread contamination of Minnesota fish has a greater impact on people who fish and eat their catch.  More information about fish consumption on lakes and rivers frequented by subsistence fishers can be found on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Lake Finder website.

Recreational Anglers

Likewise, recreational anglers may be eating more fish than the general population.  Many fish prized by anglers, like northern pike and walleye, have some of the highest mercury levels in the state.  Recreational anglers should follow the fish consumption advice listed for their favorite fishing hole, which can be found on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Lake Finder website.

For more information on Minnesota's fish consumption advisories, call (651) 215-0950 or go to the Minnesota Department of Health's Fish Consumption Advice.

Visit the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy's Smart Fish Calculator and Guide at  www.iatp.org/foodandhealth.

For more resources, visit our Resources/Links page.

Back to home page