Seafood health alerts

Fish is generally healthy to eat, but some types should be eaten in moderation (or in some cases, even avoided). This chart lists fish according to their average mercury concentration, including how much can safely be eaten each month (assuming no other contaminated fish is consumed). The advice is based on EPA guidance and the latest mercury data. See the green sections below – or re-sort the list - for safer seafood options

How much is safe to eat?

*Maximum servings that can be safely eaten each month

See healthiest fish »

Fish Name Men Women Kids 6-12 Kids 0-5
Pacific Ocean Perch (WA, OR, CA)
Jonah Crab
European Sea Bass (farmed)
Japanese and Russian Pacific cod
California skate
Big skate
Longnose skate (US)
Thornyhead
Chilipepper rockfish (US)
Splitnose
Pangasius (Farmed, Vietnam)
European pilchard sardine (imported)
Pacific Ocean Perch (Alaska)
Yellowedge grouper (US)
Warsaw grouper (US)
Gag grouper (US, Gulf of Mexico)
Snowy grouper (US)
Longnose skate (Canada)
Blacktip shark < 1 0 0 0
Blue marlin < 1 0 0 0
Striped marlin < 1 0 0 0
White marlin < 1 0 0 0
Shortfin mako (HI, CA) < 1 0 0 0
Common thresher shark < 1 0 0 0
Blue marlin (imported) < 1 0 0 0
Longfin mako < 1 0 0 0
King mackerel (US) < 1 0 0 0
Spiny dogfish (US) < 1 0 0 0
Spiny dogfish (Canada - Atlantic) < 1 0 0 0
Spiny dogfish (Canada - Pacific) < 1 0 0 0
Blackfin tuna (U.S., Canada) 1 1 < 1 < 1
Bluefin tuna 1 1 < 1 < 1
Bluefin tuna 1 1 < 1 < 1
Opah (Imported) 1 1 1 < 1
Opah (US) 1 1 1 < 1
Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico/South Atlantic) 1 0 0 0
Swordfish (US, harpoon/hand line) 1 0 0 0
Swordfish (US, longline) 1 0 0 0
Tilefish (mid-Atlantic) 1 0 0 0
Swordfish (imported) 1 0 0 0
Grouper (imported) 2 2 1 1
Black grouper (U.S. Gulf of Mexico) 2 2 1 1
Red grouper (U.S. Gulf of Mexico) 2 2 1 1
Walleye (Canada) 2 2 1 1
Spanish mackerel 2 2 1 1
Antarctic toothfish 2 2 1 1
Weakfish 2 2 1 1
Spotted seatrout (MS, NC, VA) 2 2 1 1
Spotted/silver seatrout (LA, FL) 2 2 1 1
Walleye (US) 2 2 1 1
Walleye (Canada) 2 2 1 1
Wahoo 2 2 1 1
Patagonian toothfish 2 2 1 1
Walleye (US) 2 2 1 1
Orange roughy 2 2 1 1
Lingcod 2 3 2 1
Bluefish 3 3 2 1
Russian sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Mutton snapper 3 3 2 1
California halibut (gillnet, trawl) 3 3 2 1
California halibut (hook and line, trawl) 3 3 2 1
Bluefish 3 3 2 1
Beluga sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Beluga sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Stellate sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Stellate sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Sturgeon (wild, imported) 3 3 2 1
Sturgeon (wild, imported) 3 3 2 1
California halibut (hook/line) 3 3 2 1
Wild striped bass 3 3 2 1
Canned white/albacore tuna 3 3 2 1
Wild striped bass 3 3 2 1
Russian sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Lake sturgeon 3 3 2 1
Lake sturgeon 3 3 2 1
European conger eel 3 4 2 1
American conger eel 3 4 2 1
European eel 3 4+ 2 1
European eel 3 4+ 2 1
Lane snapper 3 4+ 2 1
Yellowfin tuna (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole) 4 4 4 4
Bigeye/yellowfin tuna (imported troll/pole) 4 4 4 4
Albacore tuna (imported, longline) 4 4 4 4
Tai snapper (New Zealand, Danish seine, trawl) 4 4 4 4
Sea urchin (ME) 4 4 4 4
Black pomfret 4 4 4 4
Black sea bass (trawl-caught) 4 4 4 4
Sea urchin (CA) 4 4 4 4
Sea urchin (Canada) 4 4 4 4
Capelin, smelt roe (Iceland) 4 4 4 4
Capelin, smelt roe (Canada) 4 4 4 4
White sturgeon (farmed) 4 4 4 4
Russian, Siberian, White, Beluga, Sevruga Caviar (U.S., farmed) 4 4 4 4
Black sea bass (trap-caught, handline) 4 4 4 4
Stone crab 4 4 4 4
Sevruga caviar (wild, imported) 4 4 4 4
White sturgeon caviar (wild, OR and WA) 4 4 4 4
Paddlefish caviar (wild) 4 4 4 4
Lake sturgeon caviar (wild, imported) 4 4 4 4
White sturgeon caviar (farmed) 4 4 4 4
Beluga sturgeon caviar (wild, imported) 4 4 4 4
Paddlefish caviar (farmed) 4 4 4 4
Tai snapper (New Zealand, bottom longline) 4 4 4 4
Barramundi (Farmed - U.S.) 4 4 4 4
Crawfish (imported) 4 4 4 4
Osetra caviar (wild, imported) 4 4 4 4
Freshwater eel 4 4 4 4
Tilapia (ponds- Ecuador, raceways- Peru) 4 4+ 4+ 4+
Whiteleg shrimp (Ecuador) 4+ 4 4+ 4+
Sablefish/Black Cod 4+ 4+ 2 2
Pacific halibut (Alaska and Canada) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Vermilion snapper 4+ 4+ 3 2
Greenland turbot 4+ 4+ 3 2
Atlantic halibut 4+ 4+ 3 2
Yellowfin (Western Central Pacific, handline) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Bocaccio 4+ 4+ 3 2
Canary rockfish (US) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Widow rockfish (US) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Yellowtail rockfish (US) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Wild white sturgeon (OR and WA) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Icelandic haddock 4+ 4+ 3 2
American eel 4+ 4+ 3 2
Red snapper (Gulf of Mexico) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Imported snapper 4+ 4+ 3 2
Silk snapper 4+ 4+ 3 2
U.S. haddock (Gulf of Maine) 4+ 4+ 3 2
Albacore tuna (U.S., Canada) 4+ 4+ 3 2
U.S. haddock (Georges Bank) 4+ 4+ 3 2
American eel 4+ 4+ 3 2
Wreckfish 4+ 4+ 4 2
Pacific whiting 4+ 4+ 4 3
Yellowtail snapper 4+ 4+ 4 3
Southern tanner crab 4+ 4+ 4 4
Snow crab (US) 4+ 4+ 4 4
Blackback flounder (US, Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4 4+
Blackback flounder (US, Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4 4+
Canned light tuna (skipjack) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Silver hake (US) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Red hake (US) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Chilean hake 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Cape hake 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Argentine hake 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Wolffish 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Skate (Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
American/Maine lobster 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Hoki 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Giant Pacific Octopus (Alaska, pot) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Octopus 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Mahimahi (imported, longline) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Caribbean spiny lobster (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Monkfish 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Caribbean spiny lobster (imported) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Goosefish 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Yellow perch (farmed, US) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Yellow perch (farmed, US) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Yellow perch (wild, imported) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Yellow perch (wild, imported) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
White hake (US) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Spiny Lobster (U.S., Mexico) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Mahimahi (imported troll/pole) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
White hake (Canada) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Mahimahi (U.S. longline) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Mahimahi (U.S. troll/pole) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Giant Pacific Octopus (British Colombia) 4+ 4+ 4+ 3
Rainbow trout (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4
U.S. and Canada Pacific cod (trawl) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4
Alaska cod (longline) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4
White croaker 4+ 4+ 4+ 4
Northern shrimp (U.S., Canada) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Butter Clam (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Rainbow (Steelhead) trout (US, farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Farmed or Atlantic salmon (British Columbia, Faroe Islands, Maine) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Dungeness crab 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Wild salmon 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Manila clam (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pacific geoduck (farmed and wild - US, Canada) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Red king crab (imported) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Softshell clam 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Blue king crab (imported) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Blue crab 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Red king crab (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic surfclam (wild) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Blue king crab (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Blood cockle (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Farmed or Atlantic salmon (conventional net pens) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Northern quahog 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pacific littleneck (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Farmed or Atlantic salmon (indoor recirculating tanks) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Canned salmon 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Abalone (farmed - closed containment) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Tra 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Ocean quahog (wild) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
European anchovy (Adriatic Sea) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Sea scallops (US and Canada Atlantic, dredge) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Japanese anchovy 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atka mackerel (US - Alaska) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Northern anchovy 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Worldwide (Farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Basa 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Anchoveta 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Catfish (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Crawfish (U.S., wild) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Abalone (farmed - sea ranching) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic cod 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Paddlefish (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Yellowtail (farmed, Australia, Japan) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Starry flounder (US, Pacific) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Arrowtooth flounder (US and Canada, Pacific) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
European anchovy (Black & Mediterranean Seas) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Arrowtooth flounder (US and Canada, Pacific) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Windowpane flounder (US, Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Yellowtail (wild, Isla Natividad, Mexico) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Yellowtail (wild, US, handline) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Yellowtail (wild, US, gillnet) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pink shrimp (Gulf of Mexico and Mexico) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Tilapia (ponds, imported except Ecuador) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Tilapia (recirculating aquaculture system) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Arctic char (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Paddlefish (wild) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Giant freshwater prawn (Asia) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic mackerel (US and Canada, North Atlantic- purse seine) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Chum salmon (Wild, US Pacific) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Coho salmon (wild, US and Canada Pacific) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pink salmon (Washington) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Sockeye salmon (Washington, Oregon) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Japanese sardinellas 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Orangespot sardines 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pacific sardines (U.S. & Canada) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Spanish sardines 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Queen scallop 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Spiny scallop 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Weathervane scallop 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic calico scallops 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Bay scallops (farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Common Japanese scallops 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Alewife 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Wild Alaskan salmon (all species) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
American Shad 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Chinook salmon (wild, US Pacific) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Red porgy (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Striped mullet 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Blue mussel 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Mediterranean mussel 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
New Zealand green mussel 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Eastern or American oyster 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pacific herring 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pacific Oyster 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Farmed oysters 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Wild oysters 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Imitation crab (non-Alaska pollock) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Alaska pollock (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic pollock (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic pollock (Canada trawl) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic pollock (Canada longline, gillnet) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic pollock (Norway, Faroe Islands, UK, Greenland, Germany, Denmark) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic herring 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Florida pompano 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Giant freshwater prawn (U.S., Canada, Latin America) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Giant tiger prawn 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Spot prawn (Canada) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Witch flounder 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Yellowtail flounder 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pacific sanddab 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Dover sole 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
English sole 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Petrale sole 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Rex sole 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Yellowfin sole 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Longfin squid (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Market squid 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Northern shortfin squid 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Farmed striped bass 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic sturgeon 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Japanese eel 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Crawfish (U.S., farmed) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Whitemouth croaker 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic croaker (beach seine) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Winter flounder 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Summer flounder (US, Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Spot prawns (U.S.) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
U.S. farmed shrimp 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
U.S. wild shrimp 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Blue shrimp 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Brown shrimp 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Chinese white shrimp 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pink shrimp (Florida and Southern Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Pink shrimp (Oregon) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
White shrimp 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Imported shrimp and prawns 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Longfin smelt 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Night smelt 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Rainbow smelt 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Surf smelt 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Whitebait smelt 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Edible oyster 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
American plaice (US, Atlantic) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
Atlantic croaker (gillnet/trawl) 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+
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