A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey showed that every fish from 291 streams across the nation was contaminated by mercury. According to EPA standards, 25% of the thousand fish tested was unsafe to eat.

A large part of this ubiquitous contamination is due to the emissions from coal-burning power plants.

Mercury from power plants gets into water and is converted into methylmercury, which is readily taken up by organisms living in the water. Through the food chain, mercury accumulates and makes many fish harmful to eat, especially to children and pregnant/nursing women.

To find out which fish is safe or unsafe to eat, read the fish-consumption advisories issued by states. You can find them at EPA’s website: http://bit.ly/epafish

Sierra Club has a pocket guide called “Mercury Survival Guide”. You can download and print it at http://bit.ly/fishguide, and save it with your recipe book.