Fish and shellfish are a part of a nutritious and healthy diet. They are low in fat, and a great source of protein. The American Heart Association recommends that people eat 2-3 meals of fish a week.

You can get the most out of the fish in your diet by choosing your fish carefully. Some fish, like ocean salmon, pacific mackerel, and sardines are low in cholesterol and high in omega-3 fatty acids which protect against heart disease. Other fish, however, contain large amounts of mercury and other chemicals that can harm you or your family’s health. EHIB has been involved in many activities around fish in California. Information about our activities can be found in our “Project” pages.

About Mercury

If you are pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant, EHIB recommends that you limit how much fish you eat. Children under the age of seventeen should also consume less fish.

More information about mercury in fish can be found under “Mercury in Fish” in our project pages.

Other Chemicals in Fish

Fish can contain other chemicals, too. These include:

PCBs
Dioxins
Pesticides
PBDEs

Local Advisories

Some lakes and bays where people fish in California have been contaminated with mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated byphenols) and other chemicals. The Office of Health Hazard Assessment has issued advisories for more than 10 water bodies in California. The advisories provide information for eating fish safely in these areas.

Local and Regional Fish Advisories

Link to your local health department

EHIB has been involved in fish issues for more than a decade. Currently, we have ongoing fish projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, the San Francisco Bay, and the Palos Verdes Shelf in Los Angeles. Information about these sites, as well as general information about eating fish can be found by clicking on the links below. For information about eating or harvesting shellfish in California, you can call the California Shellfish Information Hotline at (510) 540-2605.

Click on the Grill to learn more about cooking fish safely.

Click on the Fish for information about the benefits of eating fish.

Below are links to information on fishing and consuming fish in California.

TOPICS

Less specific: Exposure Sources
More specific: Lago Nacimiento , Lake Nacimiento

FACT SHEETS

Mercury in Fish brochure
Mercury in Fish brochure (Other Languages)
San Francisco Bay Fish Brochures
San Francisco Bay Fish Postcard

PAPERS

Biological monitoring for mercury within a community with soil and fish contamination
Delta Fish Project Needs Assessment Final Report
Fish contamination in Richmond harbor channel
Palos Verdes Shelf Outreach And Education Pilot Project Report
San Francisco Bay Fish Sign

RELATED PROJECTS

Delta Watershed Fish Project
Delta Watershed Fish Project
Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program Fish Connection
Klau/Buena Vista Mines, San Luis Obispo County – Public Health Activities
Mercury in Fish
Palos Verdes Shelf Fish Contamination Project
San Francisco Bay Seafood Consumption Study
Survey and Educational Activity in the Lower Sacramento River Watershed

FREQUENTLY-ASKED-QUESTIONS

Is eating fish good for you?
How can I cook fish more safely?

CONTACTS

Diana Lee , Alyce Ujihara , Ian Walker