Dolphin-Safe Tuna Practices Result In Low Mercury Levels ff
19 July 2006
United States Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project, which has pioneered efforts for the "Dolphin Safe" tuna label for more than two decades, reacted to the release of a new study regarding mercury in canned tuna.
â€Without doubt, the actions by American tuna companies to only sell tuna caught without setting nets on dolphins has also meant that US consumers are being provided with tuna with the lowest mercury levels,†stated David Phillips, Director.
The recent Defenders of Wildlife study cites evidence that tuna from Mexico and other countries that chase and net dolphins during fishing operations produce canned tuna that has much higher levels of mercury.
â€Starkist, Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee and other dolphin-safe companies in the US should be commended. They’ve done right by the dolphins and caught the tuna that has by far the lowest levels of mercury,†Phillips added.
Phillips continued: “Consumers purchasing tuna with a dolphin-safe label are not being exposed to Mexican tuna with high mercury levels. Mexican tuna cited in this report is banned from using a dolphin-safe label under US law and is not allowed by procurement policies of the US tuna companies.â€
Today, more than 90% of the world’s tuna catch is Dolphin Safe under international standards of no encirclement or netting of dolphins. In some areas, for reasons, which are not fully explained, tuna schools swim beneath dolphins. These tuna tend to be larger, older tuna, which, due to their longer life spans, can be exposed to more mercury than other tuna. Therefore, catching tuna without chasing and netting dolphins tends to produce canned tuna products low in mercury. US tuna companies do not use the dolphin-deadly method to catch tuna.
