Knight Ridder Newspapers
PHILADELPHIA -- The monster bluefin tuna that Dan Dillon caught off Delaware was a serious fish -- at 873 pounds, more than double the previous state record. But the government says he should go easy with the knife and fork.
The mighty fish contained 2.5 parts per million of mercury, the environmental group Oceana has reported -- a level so high it would be illegal to sell.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration can block the commercial sale of fish containing more than 1 part per million. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that people eat less than six meals a year of fish that register 1.9 parts per million or higher.
Dillon, 39, Herndon, Va., who caught the tuna July 2 after a 90-minute struggle, split the big fish among family and friends. Delaware officials urged him to proceed cautiously, and Dillon said this past week that he has heeded the advice.
"I haven't really eaten that much myself," said Dillon, who donated a 5-ounce sample to Oceana, based in Washington, D.C., for testing. "We spread it around."
Tuna are large fish at the top of the food chain, accumulating mercury from the smaller fish they eat, and this tuna was larger and likely older than most, he noted.
"Quite frankly, I'm not surprised by this result," said Rick Greene, head of the water toxics program for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, who is conducting his own mercury tests on the fish.
The mercury level in Dillon's fish is not the highest reported; Japanese researchers have found bluefin with more than 6 parts per million of mercury. Canned tuna has much lower levels of mercury, but health experts urge pregnant women and small children to limit consumption of that product, too. Scientists believe mercury can harm fetal brain development.
Bert Adams, owner of the shop where the big fish was carved into 500 pounds of steaks, said his customers didn't seem too concerned.
"They want their tuna fish cleaned."
PHILADELPHIA -- The monster bluefin tuna that Dan Dillon caught off Delaware was a serious fish -- at 873 pounds, more than double the previous state record. But the government says he should go easy with the knife and fork.
The mighty fish contained 2.5 parts per million of mercury, the environmental group Oceana has reported -- a level so high it would be illegal to sell.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration can block the commercial sale of fish containing more than 1 part per million. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that people eat less than six meals a year of fish that register 1.9 parts per million or higher.
Dillon, 39, Herndon, Va., who caught the tuna July 2 after a 90-minute struggle, split the big fish among family and friends. Delaware officials urged him to proceed cautiously, and Dillon said this past week that he has heeded the advice.
"I haven't really eaten that much myself," said Dillon, who donated a 5-ounce sample to Oceana, based in Washington, D.C., for testing. "We spread it around."
Tuna are large fish at the top of the food chain, accumulating mercury from the smaller fish they eat, and this tuna was larger and likely older than most, he noted.
"Quite frankly, I'm not surprised by this result," said Rick Greene, head of the water toxics program for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, who is conducting his own mercury tests on the fish.
The mercury level in Dillon's fish is not the highest reported; Japanese researchers have found bluefin with more than 6 parts per million of mercury. Canned tuna has much lower levels of mercury, but health experts urge pregnant women and small children to limit consumption of that product, too. Scientists believe mercury can harm fetal brain development.
Bert Adams, owner of the shop where the big fish was carved into 500 pounds of steaks, said his customers didn't seem too concerned.
"They want their tuna fish cleaned."
