Seafood App Download
Azrael Zurlo
FDA is responsible for ensuring that the nation's seafood supply, both domestic and imported, is safe, sanitary, wholesome, and honestly labeled. This page provides access to content about seafood, including fish and shellfish, from across the Food section of FDA.gov. Grouped according to target audiences, these links include access to up-to-date consumer information and advice, guidance documents, regulation, and science and research content.
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Many Americans would benefit from eating more seafood. Children born to mothers who eat fish and shellfish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury during pregnancy have better cognition and behavior than children born to mothers who skip fish altogether, according to some scientific tests. People at average or high risk for heart disease can lower their blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes when they make seafood a routine part of their diets.
High-mercury seafood should never be eaten by pregnant women and children, according to EWG's analysis and federal government warnings. Everyone else should eat these species infrequently or not at all.
In June of this year the federal Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency proposed new guidelines that encourage pregnant and nursing women to consume eight to 12 ounces of seafood of a variety of seafood per week, choosing from varieties lower in mercury (FDA 2014a).
The two most beneficial omega-3 fatty acids -- docosahexaenoic acid, known as DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, known as EPA -- have been shown to reduce inflammation and severity of heart and retinal diseases. Children born to mothers who ate low-mercury seafood during pregnancy experienced better functioning brain and nervous systems. They scored two to six points higher on intelligence tests than children whose mothers ate little fish during pregnancy (Oken 2005). A diet rich in omega-3s lowered blood triglycerols, reduced arrhythmias and decreased the risk of sudden death from heart disease (USDA 2010).
Not all fish are equally nutritious. Twenty-one of the 35 common fish and shellfish we investigated would not provide an adequate amount of omega-3s when eaten twice weekly. This includes most fish and shellfish species often found in the American diet.
Dangerous substances besides mercury can build up in fish and shellfish. Among them are dioxin and other persistent pollutants. While these pollutants are generally less harmful than mercury, their presence is a reminder that people who eat lots of fish or shellfish should pay attention to local seafood advisories and select only low-mercury species.
EWG recommends that people restrict their seafood consumption to two or three meals per week. Beyond that amount, the beneficial effects of omega-3s subside and the risks posed by contaminants add up.
Federal nutrition guidelines recommend that you consume an average of 250 milligrams daily of DHA and EPA, the two omega-3 fatty acids found primarily in seafood (USDA 2010). The most critical period is the last 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Not all seafood species are equal. One to two servings of a high-omega-3 species like salmon, sardines or Pacific or Atlantic mackerel can meet the weekly recommendation for omega-3s. But a pregnant woman would need to eat five or more servings of tilapia, shrimp or catfish to get the optimum amount of omega-3s.
Because mercury from seafood can linger in your body, you should limit your mercury consumption before you conceive, or soon in pregnancy. Mercury can pass through breast milk. It is wise to continue avoiding higher-mercury fish while breastfeeding.
Children benefit from eating seafood but should consume smaller portions. Always serve low-mercury seafood. Children should eat no more than one serving of canned light tuna per week. Children should never eat canned albacore tuna, also known as white tuna.
On the other hand, eating high-mercury fish can erode some cardiac benefits of seafood (Burger 2013 citing Gullar 2002, Stern and Korn 2011). For this reason, people with heart disease should make an effort to limit their exposure to mercury.
There is no reliable scientific evidence that pregnant women and nursing mothers who take omega-3 supplements have infants who enjoy benefits in growth, neurodevelopment and vision comparable to women who ate seafood during pregnancy (Campoy 2012).
Fish oil supplements appear to be slightly less beneficial for cardiac patients than a seafood-rich diet (Rizos 2012), perhaps because seafood has important trace nutrients like iodine, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and selenium. As well, people who eat seafood are probably less inclined to eat unhealthy proteins like fatty or highly processed meats.
EWG believes Americans must consider the impact of their dietary choices on the ocean and freshwater ecosystems. One key step is to assess which segments of the population most benefit from seafood consumption and give them clear information about species and quantities that best provide health benefits.
Consumers seeking sustainable choices face a challenge: sustainability ratings for a single species can range from green to red. Many grocery stores show ecological ratings for specific varieties. Restaurants participating in sustainability programs like Fish Choice verify that all seafood menu items are from sustainably-managed fisheries.
Methyl mercury pollution concentrates in the marine food chain. Mercury concentrations are highest in predatory fish that eat smaller fish. In 2013 the U.S. and 100 other nations signed the Minamata Convention, a global treaty committing signers to reducing mercury emissions. The treaty is a good start, but as ocean temperatures rise because of global warming, mercury accumulation is projected to intensify due to increased metabolic activity in the marine creatures in the lowest tier of the ocean food chain. This increase in mercury could lead to greater concentrations in larger fish and increased risk for seafood consumers.
Over the past decade the scientific evidence on the health benefits of fish consumption has become more definitive. Federal nutrition guidelines now recommend that all adults and children aim to eat two or three seafood meals per week. If Americans adopted this advice the massive increase in seafood consumption would strain global fisheries. EWG encourages consumers to optimize the benefits of seafood by picking healthy, sustainably produced seafood. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website offers extensive details about ecological sustainability of commercial fish and shellfish stocks.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a branch of NIH reports that eating fish is generally more beneficial than omega-3 supplements, particularly for cardiac health. This may be due to the fact that in addition to omega-3s, seafood has important trace nutrients like iodine, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and selenium. The Office of Dietary Supplements gives a more detailed review of the evidence about beneficial omega-3 fats.
People who catch or eat non-commercial species may eat more mercury or other contaminants than reflected in our analysis of commercial species. The EPA has a clearinghouse of state and local fish and shellfish advisories for mercury and other contaminants in seafood (EPA 2014). The FDA/EPA draft advisory recommends that consumers limit non-commercial species to no more than six ounces per week. Children should eat only one to three ounces of any non-commercial fish and seafood per week.
Consumer Reports. 2014. FDA says eat more fish but deletes helpful list of lower-mercury seafood. Consumers Union. August 21, 2014. -says-eat-more-fish-but-deletes-helpful-list-of-lower-mercury-seafood/index.htm
EWG. 2014. Mercury in Seafood: US Seafood Advice Flawed on Mercury, Omega-3s. Environmental Working Group, January 2014.
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By being a significant source of nutritious and low carbon protein for more than 3 billion people and supporting the livelihood of more than half a billion people, the seafood industry has a key role to play in achieving sustainable and equitable food systems while at the same time protecting and restoring oceans. The 2023 data shows that even though progress is being made by a few leaders, most of the companies assessed still fail to demonstrate meaningful efforts to address their social and environmental impacts.
The third Seafood Stewardship Index assessment shows that more companies are taking actions on important topics such as human rights due diligence, sustainable sourcing and traceability. However, action is still lacking on key issues such as illegal fishing, sustainable feed ingredients, antibiotics use, gender and forced labour. Moreover, 12/30 companies score less than 20/100 and thus still fail to recognize their role and impact to achieve sustainable seafood production. This signals the importance of holding laggards accountable to ensure that the most influential and powerful companies in the seafood sector fulfill their responsibilities in helping deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses an enormous threat to the sustainability of fisheries and the well-being of fishers and coastal communities, particularly in developing countries. IUU exacerbates issues such as overfishing, environmental degradation, and human rights abuses like slavery at sea. With 20% of the world's catch originating from IUU fishing, large seafood companies, due to their size and global reach, must become part of the solution by identifying risks and developing a clear plan of action. However, only 3/30 demonstrate they assess IUU risks in their operations and supply chain and none disclose the results of their assessments. While most companies are taking some steps to mitigate IUU risks through certification, too few know where the risks are in their operations and supply chains.
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