Study: Mercury levels elevated in Martin County women

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. - The Martin County Health Department is asking women to stay away from fish after a recent study found higher levels of mercury in Martin County women.

The advisory comes after a project funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 25 percent of Martin County women had elevated levels of mercury. Martin County was one of three counties in the state to participate in the study. Duval County showed a 7 percent rise in levels while women in Escambia and Santa Rosa had a 16 percent rise in levels.

In the study, hair samples from 400 women, between the ages of 18 and 49, were collected.

Tuna, shark, swordfish, canned albacore tuna, Chilean sea bass, grouper and king mackerel are all fish with high levels of mercury.

According to the Martin County Health Department, some common fish with low mercury include: Salmon, tilapia, catfish, cod, southern flounder, whitefish and canned light tuna.