Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2004
65 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding the issue of high mercury levels in shark, swordfish, marlin, and tuna on pregnant women and young children in view of the Food Safety Authority’s warning regarding the consumption of these species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13712/04]
View answerRegular analysis of a range of fin-fish both landed into and farmed in Ireland is carried out to monitor the levels of mercury present in accordance with the monitoring requirements of EU food safety legislation. A similar monitoring programme is in place for bivalve shellfish. The Marine Institute, under service contract to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, carries out these programmes. Similar programmes are in place in other member states.
The trends established through this monitoring programme show that the concentration of mercury in the edible portion of the fish analysed in Ireland is well within the European Union human consumption tolerance level. The catch element of the monitoring programme concentrates on the most commonly landed species and does not normally include the top predatory species fish such as shark, swordfish, marlin and tuna as these species do not constitute any significant part of the total catches made by Irish fishing vessels.
All imports of shark, swordfish, marlin and tuna from third countries are subject to controls at Ireland's border inspection posts. These import controls of fish from third countries ensure that the fish imported have been produced to the highest standards pertaining to fish production and processing operating at an equivalent standard to production and processing requirements within the European Community.
