A recent study published in Scientific American highlights yet another reason to ditch fish and
other seafood: plastic contamination.
Researchers at the University of California Davis School of
Veterinary Medicine found that a whopping 25 percent of fish tested had plastic
in their guts.
According to SFGate.com,
“About a quarter of the 64 fish purchased at fish markets in Half Moon Bay and
Princeton and analyzed for the study turned out to have bits of synthetic
clothing in their guts.
And that’s just the latest.
Just last year, researchers found that mercury levels in
tuna are 10
million times higher than seawater, with human activities since the
industrial revolution to blame.
Some seafood imports are contaminated with salmonella and
other microbes as a result of feeding fish a diet of feces. In fact, according
to the FDA, seafood imports from China—around 27
percent of the seafood consumed by Americans—are frequently contaminated.
What’s more, a growing body of scientific evidence
demonstrates that fish are sophisticated animals who exhibit intelligence,
complex social structures, long-term memory, and the capacity to feel pain. Yet
the fishing industry treats them as if they were nothing more than inanimate
objects.
The best thing we can do to protect fish and our own health
is to leave fish off our plates. Check out ChooseVeg.com for delicious meal
ideas and tips on making the transition to a fish-free lifestyle.