How to Properly Cook Fish

Since mercury accumulates in the muscle tissue of fish, there are no cooking or cleaning techniques that can reduce the amount of mercury in the fish you eat. However, there are techniques that can reduce other pollutants and make fish healthier for your diet.

Cleaning Fish

  • Keep freshly caught fish on ice
  • Always remove and throw away
    • Head
    • Bones
    • Skin
    • Fat
    • Internal Organs (liver, kidneys, etc.)
  • Always freeze or dress and cook the fish as soon as possible
  • Avoid setting meat in direct sunlight

Cooking Fish

  • The healthiest and safest way to cook fish is broil, bake, or grill
  • Let the fat drain away
  • If smoking fish, always remove the skin
  • Avoid using fish drippings or broth
  • Eat less fried fish. Frying fish will seal in any pollutants contained in fish’s fat.

 

SERVING SIZE

An adult serving size for one meal is a fillet that is approximately 8 ounces of fish (Image on left) that is lower in contaminants. We recommend that serving sizes for children be smaller than adult portions (Image on right), approximately 4 ounces.