Fish? No thanks!

Mercury is predominantly released into the air from industrial processes, products, mining, waste disposal, and coal combustion. It travels through the atmosphere and settles in oceans and waterways, where naturally occurring bacteria absorb it and convert it to a very toxic organic form called methyl mercury.

The methyl mercury then works its way up the food chain, as large fish consume contaminated smaller fish and other organisms. Predatory fish such as large tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, pike, walleye, barracuda, scabbard, and marlin contain the highest methyl mercury concentrations and are often included in government fish consumption advisories.