The Common Fish That Contain The Lowest Mercury Levels

Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, shellfish such as scallops, clams, and shrimp have the lowest mercury levels and thus are considered safer to eat than other varieties.

The shellfish are followed by various canned fish, like sardines, anchovies, and salmon. Some other fish with low amounts of mercury include tilapia, catfish, squid, and pollock.

Generally, small, short-lived, non-predatory fish that are low on the undersea food chain have lower mercury levels. The higher up the food chain you go, the more mercury you get.

Small fish don’t eat much more than plankton, but big, long-lived fish eat lots of small fish with tiny levels of mercury, which then build up in their bodies over their lifespans.

In some cases, there is noticeably more mercury in the fresh version of a fish compared to the canned version. That's because canned food usually uses smaller varieties of fish.