The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have developed safety standards for fish and shellfish consumption. These standards are used to develop advise and advisories to help consumers make informed decisions about what types of seafood to eat and how often to eat it. Most advise includes types of fish and shellfish, serving size, and how often or how much to eat. The Fish for your Health^TM advice is based on the EPA’s reference dosages for safe consumption of mercury and PCBs. To learn more about the research that became the foundation for the Fish for your Health^TM advice visit our Scientific Research page.

Health Risks

USGS’s Mercury in Fish, Bed Sediment, and Water from Streams Across the US, 1998-2005 (2009)
FDA’s Draft Risk and Benefit Assessment Report (2009)
EPA’s Response to FDA’s Draft Risk and Benefit Assessment Report (2009)
IFT’s Making Decisions about the Risks of Chemicals in Foods (2009)
EPA’s Mercury Update Fact Sheet (2001)
NRC’s Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (2000)
EPA’s National Advisory Fact Sheet (1999)
EPA’s PCB Fact Sheet(1999)
EPA’s Mercury Fact Sheet(2001)
EPA’s Dioxins Fact Sheet (1999)
EPA’s Toxaphene Fact Sheet (1999)
Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory (1993)
Critical Review of the Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory (1995)
Letter for the Critical Review of the Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption Advisory (1995)
Evaluation of Michigan’s 1998 Proposed Sport Fish Advisory Program
EPA’s Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories – Volume I (2000)
EPA’s Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories – Volume II (2000)
EPA’s Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories – Volume III (1996)
EPA’s Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories – Volume IV (1995)
EPA’s National Study of Chemical Residues in Fish – Volume I (1992)
EPA’s National Study of Chemical Residues in Fish – Volume IIs (1992)

Other Resources

Regulatory Fish Encyclopedia

Monitoring, Regulations & Revisions

The FDA monitors and regulates levels of contaminants, like mercury, in foods and dietary supplements. The FDA and EPA issue joint advice on eating fish and shellfish that supports recommendations made every five years in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The FDA and EPA’s ongoing efforts to monitor and revise regulations along with new scientific finds are all resources that may be used for future updates to Fish for your Health^TM resources and materials.

Additional Resources

Mercury in Food and Dietary Supplements
Dietary Guidelines for American, 2020-2025