Mercury in Seafood

Some of the main types of fish used in sushi may contain high levels of mercury and

should be avoided, but there are others that can be safely eaten. If you have further questions regarding sushi, you should talk with your health care provider to get their recommendation.

Highest mercury:  AVOID

• Kajiki (swordfish)
• Saba (mackerel)
• Shark
• Tilefish

High Mercury:  Eat no more than three 6-oz servings a month

• Ahi (yellowfin tuna)
• Buri (adult yellowtail)
• Hamachi (young yellowtail)
• Inada (very young yellowtail)
• Kanpachi (very young yellowtail)
• Katsuo (bonito)
• Maguro (bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna)
• Makjiki (blue marlin)
• Masu (trout)
• Meji (young bigeye, bluefin* or yellowfin tuna)
• Shiro (albacore tuna)
• Toro (bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna)

LOWER MERCURY: Eat no more than six 6-oz servings per month

• Kani (crab)
• Seigo (young sea bass)
• Suzuki (sea bass)

LOWEST MERCURY: Enjoy two 6-oz servings a week

• Aji (horse mackerel)
• Akagai (ark shell)
• Anago (conger eel)
• Aoyagi (round clam)
• Awabi (abalone)
• Ayu (sweetfish)
• Ebi (shrimp)
• Hamaguri (clam)
• Hamo (pike conger; sea eel)
• Hatahata (sandfish)
• Himo (ark shell)
• Hokkigai (surf clam)
• Hotategai (scallop)
• Ika (squid)
• Ikura (salmon roe)
• Kaibashira (shellfish)
• Kaiware (daikon-radish sprouts)
• Karei (flatfish)
• Kohada (gizzard shad)
• Masago (smelt egg)
• Mirugai (surf clam)
• Nori-tama (egg)
• Sake (salmon)
• Sawara (spanish mackerel)
• Sayori (halfbeak)
• Shako (mantis shrimp)
• Tai (sea bream)
• Tairagai (razor-shell clam)
• Tako (octopus)
• Tamago (egg) Tobikko (flying fish egg)
• Torigai (cockle)
• Tsubugai (shellfish)
• Unagi (freshwater eel)
• Uni (sea urchin roe)

Chart obtained from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC); data obtained by the FDA and the EPA.