Texas health authorities are expanding their warning that some people should not eat certain fish from the Gulf of Mexico.
The Texas Department of State Health Services says high levels of mercury mean women of childbearing age and children 12 and younger should eat no amount of species, including Blackfin tuna, blue marlin, king mackerel, wahoo, shark or swordfish.
The Department’s Chris Van Deusen says what’s new is the number of species covered by the warning.
“At least since the ‘90s, the mackerel have been the subject of an advisory," Van Deusen said. "As we’re able to do more testing, we’ve seen that this may be an issue in these species and wanted to get the word out.”
The Health Department also says older women and adult men should limit their consumption of these fish to no more than one or two meals a month.
Prolonged exposure to mercury can harm the central nervous system, particularly in children.
