Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Protect Kids from High-Mercury Seafood



Rachel, an Oceana supporter in California, used to eat fish like tuna and mahi mahi regularly- she figured it was delicious and healthy. But when she and her husband decided to have kids, her doctor made an alarming discovery: The level of mercury in Rachel's body was dangerous for an unborn child. He ordered her to cut high-mercury fish from her diet and delay pregnancy.

>> Ask your supermarket to post mercury warning signs at its seafood counters!




Take Action Tell a Friend Support Us


Because of the neurological risks of mercury exposure, the Food and Drug Administration issued advice for women of child bearing age and children to avoid or limit certain types of fish, including swordfish and tuna.

The FDA's mercury recommendations, unfortunately, have failed to reach many families, like Rachel and her husband. In fact, an EPA scientist estimates one in six women of child bearing age currently has enough mercury in her body to pose neurological risks to a developing fetus.

To educate customers, a number of grocery stores, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, have joined Oceana's Green List by posting signs about the FDA mercury advice at their seafood counters. These signs alert customers to the danger of mercury in seafood and tell them which fish women of child bearing age and children should avoid right at the place where they're deciding what to buy.

But most stores are not yet posting signs about mercury at their seafood counters. So we need your help to convince supermarkets across the country to get on board.

Rachel's story has a happy ending because she found out about mercury in fish and took steps to reduce her mercury level before getting pregnant- she now has a happy, healthy little girl. But without sufficient warnings, many parents aren't as lucky as Rachel and are inadvertently putting their children at risk. For more information and real-life mercury stories, check out our video "Mercury, Seafood and You".

For the oceans,
Beth Kemler
Seafood Campaign Organizer
Oceana Green Your Grocer
Tell YOUR supermarket to educate consumers about the risks of mercury in seafood.

Take Action


Quiz Your Seafood Counter Attendant!
Oceana volunteers around the country are quizzing the seafood counter attendants at their grocery stores to find out how much they know about mercury. Will you help out the next time you go grocery shopping? Their answers may surprise you.

Get the Quiz >>

Flower Power

Purchase Organic Bouquet's three-herb wreath and ring in the holiday cheer this season and beyond. Made of rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, this wreath is not only pretty, it provides a year's worth of culinary herbs. And the best part? A portion of the proceeds go back toward Oceana's conservation efforts.

Shop Now >>

Update on the Dolphin Slaughter
The annual dolphin slaughter is underway in Japan. As many as 20,000 dolphins could be killed this season. We've already generated more than 10,000 letters to the Japanese Embassy, but we need to add your voice to the cause. What are you waiting for?

Take Action Now >>

oceana.org

No comments: