Take Action

Tell supermarkets to post FDA info on mercury in fish, not fishing industry talking points

Grocery Store

We need your help to get more grocery stores to post signs with the government advice on mercury in fish at their seafood counters. The Food Marketing Institute has released a new flyer on seafood that only includes parts of the Food and Drug Administration mercury advice and could easily mislead consumers into thinking that it’s all there.

Here are some of the problems with the flyer that Oceana has asked the Food Marketing Institute to fix.

It leaves out the fact that all women who may become pregnant, not just women who are already pregnant, should be careful about their fish consumption.
It makes subtle but profound changes to the FDA advice, like changing “Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury” to “Eat 12 oz. of seafood every week (2-3 meals)”
It leaves out FDA’s recommendation of smaller seafood portions for young children
It implies that canned white tuna is among the low-mercury fish and that sensitive populations can eat it up to 3 times a week, whereas the FDA advises that they eat only 1 average meal of albacore tuna and tuna steaks

Many consumers are already confused enough about how to avoid health effects from mercury in seafood. They don’t need fishy advice from the fishing industry posted at their seafood counter to confuse them further.

Over 5,000 people signed our first petition to the Food Marketing Institute, but one petition doesn't always make enough waves to finish the job. Please help keep the pressure on by emailing Leslie Sarasin, President and Chief Executive Officer of FMI!

November 21, 2009

Subject:

Dear Ms Sarasin,

I am writing to ask that FMI create a sign conveying the full FDA advice on mercury in fish and distribute it to member companies.

I was disappointed to find out that you had a brochure entitled “Mercury and Fish: Eat Fish! Live Healthy!” that contained most of the pertinent information but you have taken it off your list of publications; replacing it, instead, with a flyer that contains bits and pieces of the FDA mercury advice that could mislead consumers into thinking that it contained all the facts about seafood and health. Putting the information in a more user-friendly format for busy shoppers is a step in the right direction but you still need to include all the pertinent information!

As you know, many groups, including Oceana, have been calling on grocery companies to post signs at seafood counters to convey the Food and Drug Administration mercury advice. Over one third of major grocery companies, like Kroger, Safeway, Costco and Whole Foods, are now posting such signs. But you can help get more companies to take this important step to protect health.

Please improve your flyer in accordance with Oceana’s suggestions so that it can be posted at seafood counters to convey the full FDA advice.

We will add your signature from the information you provide.

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Do you shop at a store that's not posting signs, like Publix, Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle or A&P? Click here to send them an email asking them to post mercury info signs at seafood counters.

Oceana | Protecting the World's Oceans

Take Action

Tell supermarkets to post FDA info on mercury in fish, not fishing industry talking points