In Brief: Mercury in Fish: a Special Advisory for Women of Childbearing Age and Childeren under 15

6 Pages·1998·0.13 MB·English

by  Ontario Ministry of the Environment

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Ontario
1998
Ministry ofthe Environmentprograms and initiatives
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Mercury
in fish:
women
a special advisory for of
childbearing age' and children
under 15
The federal government recently made its The change in Health Canada's guidelines
guidelines for mercury intake more strin- for mercury consumption results from the
gent, based on a study conducted in the preliminary findings of a recent epidemiolog-
Indian Ocean community of the Seychelles ical study in the Seychelles, where the popu-
Islands. lation eats a lot of fish. The study, on the
Ontario's Ministry of The provincial Minister of the Environment effects of mercury exposure from a high-fish
the Environment tias is therefore taking action to change Ontario's diet on child development in the Seychelles,
revised its sport fish consumption advice for mercury in sport fish detected a decreased activity level in two-
consumption advisory to be more protective of two groups of sensi- year-old boys whose mothers had eaten mer-
to reflect changes in tive individuals: women of childbearing age cury-contaminated fish during pregnancy.
the tolerable daily and children under the age of 15.
Don't stop eating fish!
intake (TDI) set by
Health Canada for Important change in advice Fish are an excellent source of protein and
mercury. The more The Ministry of the Environment (MCE) low in saturated fat. Some fish, however,
stringent limit applies advises women of childbearing age and may contain harmful contaminants. So be
only to women of children under 15 to eat only those fish sure to follow the advice given in the Guide,
childbearing age and currently represented in the 1997-98 and in this fact sheet, to ensure you are eat-
Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish by the ing fish that are safe for you.
children under 15.
clear fish symbol and to consume no more
than four meals per month of these fish. How to tell if fish are safe to eat
*
Women ofchildbear- All other categories of fish caught in Health Canada regularly reviews the TDIs for
ing age are defined in Ontario should not be consumed by these various environmental contaminants that
the Guide to Eating sensitive individuals. may be inadvertently found in food. In
Ontario Sport Fish as These are interim changes until the Ontario, these TDIs are used to determine if
women who are preg- next Guide is released in March 1999 and sport fish are safe to eat and the advice is
nant, intending to do not apply to the remainder of the pop- distributed through the Guide.
becomepregnant or ulation.
are breast-feeding In calculating the amount of mercury that Contaminants in fish
can be consumed, Health Canada is extremely Contaminants such as mercury, toxaphene,
mothers.
cautious. It imposes a safety factor on top of dioxins, furans, mirex and polychlorinated
the levels recommended as safe in studies and biphenyls (PCBs) can accumulate in fish and
is very cautious in developing tolerable daily could be harmful to a developing fetus,
intake (TDI) guidelines. When MOB uses these young child or breast-feeding baby.
guidelines to establish the recommended Mercury is a naturally occurring metal that
amount of sport fish that can be consumed, it is found in very low levels in air, water, rocks.
also builds a safety factor into its advice.
Ministry of the Environment
In Brief
soil, plant and animal matter. It has also been childbearing age and children should not
used by industry and can be released as a consume more than one or two meals of
byproduct of incineration. Mercury can travel shark, swordfish or fresh tuna (not canned
long distances through the atmosphere from tuna) per month as these fish are known to
sources such as coal-burning power plants, contain higher levels of mercury. Women of
and enter rivers and lakes through rainfall childbearing age and children under 15 who
and snowmelt. This is how some fish in are regular consumers of shark, swordfish or
remote lakes and rivers, having no apparent fresh tuna are advised not to consume sport
source of contamination, can be affected. fish as well.
In high amounts, mercury damages the If in doubt, please contact your primary
nervous system and can cause severe mental health-care professional or:
and physical retardation in a baby. Studies
Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program
suggest that lower amounts can delay walk-
Ministry of the Environment
ing and talking and can cause learning prob-
125 Resources Rd.
lems. ON
Etobicoke
M9P 3V6
Reducing your exposure to
Tel: [phone]
contaminants
Fax:[phone]
Follow the advice in this fact sheet and con- Toll-free number: 1-800-820-2716
sult the Guide to determine the safety of the
fish you plan to eat. Health Canada
Fish build up contaminants from the water Tel: [phone]
they live in and the food they eat. Larger fish Internet: www.hc-sc.gc.ca
are usually older and have had more time to
build up contaminants. Fish such as walleye Canadian Food Inspection Agency
and northern pike, which eat other fish, tend Tel: [phone]
to have higher levels of mercury.
Mercury cannot be removed from fish and To obtain a copy of the Guide to Eating
is uniformly distributed in the flesh. However, Ontario Sport Fish please contact:
the way you clean and cook fish can alter the
amount of other contaminants you ingest. Public Information Centre
The Guide provides details. 1 35 St. Clair Ave. W.
ON
Toronto
Store-bought fish M4V 1P5
Tel: [phone]
Fish purchased at the retail level are subject
Fax:[phone]
to ongoing testing for contaminants to
Toll-free number: 1-800-565-4923
ensure they meet Canadian standards. The
Internet: www.ene.gov.on.ca
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health
Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources are the responsible regulatory
MOE
agencies. consulted all these groups
recently, before revising the guidelines.
However, if you consume commercial fish
regularly (once per week or more often), it
may be advisable for you to reduce your
consumption of sport fish. Furthermore,
Health Canada has stated that women of
©
Ministry of the Environment Printedonrecycledpaper PIBS: 3658E 2M - 07 - 98