ABSTRACT
In 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a joint sh consumption advisory (see Appendix I, Figures 5.1, 5.2). Despite the claim in the above quotation, the advisory addressed pregnant
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 71 Research Methodology ............................................................................................ 73 How Does Methylmercury Get in Fish? .................................................................. 73
Methylmercury, Fish, and Human Health ........................................................... 74 Building Awareness of Methylmercury in Fish: A Social Problem in the Making ................................................................................................................ 75 FDA Enters the Scene .........................................................................................77 The Environmental Protection Agency Weighs In .............................................. 78 The Two Agencies Diverge: 1990-2002 ............................................................. 78 Controversy over EPA’s Report ...........................................................................80 Creating a Unied Guideline: FDA and EPA Issue a Joint Fish Advisory ......... 81
The Politics of Tuna ................................................................................................. 83 Testing Tuna ........................................................................................................84 Eat Tuna: Don’t Worry ........................................................................................85 One Size Does Not Fit All ...................................................................................87 Getting the Word Out? ........................................................................................88
Science as Culture, Science as Politics ....................................................................88 Conclusion: Should We Eat Tuna? ...........................................................................90 References ................................................................................................................96
women, nursing mothers, women who may become pregnant, and young children. Due to increasing evidence about the effects of methylmercury on the developing brain, these groups were advised to not eat shark, swordsh, king mackerel, and tilesh; eat up to 12 ounces a week of a variety of sh and shellsh that are lower in mercury; and check local advisories about the safety of sh caught by family and friends in local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas.
