Hooked on Mercury Hype?

Chicago Tribune, New York Times Ads Offer an Antidote

to Fishy Mercury Fears

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of a largely
one-sided Chicago Tribune series that unnecessarily hyped fears of
trace amounts of mercury in fish, the nonprofit Center for Consumer
Freedom has placed full- page advertisements in both the Tribune and
The New York Times. "Hooked On Mercury Hype?" the ads ask, referring
readers to FishScam.com, a new website that tackles the politics of
fish fears. FishScam.com puts the speculative risks from mercury and
other "fish fears" in their proper perspective, and blows the whistle
on environmental and animal-rights groups that manufacture fear
campaigns to raise money.

"The amount of mercury that Americans have always gotten from the fish
on their plates is a tiny fraction of what could be harmful," said
Center for Consumer Freedom Director of Research David Martosko. "The
best science indicates that you shouldn't worry about mercury in your
diet unless you eat a massive amount of fish -- or whale meat."

Last week's three-part Chicago Tribune series ignored government
advisories and the science behind them, warning the public about
"mercury poisoning" that could result from fish in a typical American
diet. But data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
clearly show that not a single American has reason for concern.

"The Tribune also forgot to tell readers that our government's mercury
'limits' have a built-in safety factor of 1,000 percent," Martosko
said. "So even though fish contain mercury, as they always have,
Americans are still protected by a sizable cushion. Causing a panic
over the mercury levels in the fish we eat is like worrying about
driving 6 miles-per-hour in a 50-mph zone. We're nowhere near the
danger line, and we never have been."

In addition to the Internet's first realistic mercury-in-fish
calculator, FishScam.com provides point-by-point rebuttals to the fish
scares promoted by over a dozen activist groups (and some newspaper
reporters). It also offers science-based information about mercury,
activist boycotts of Atlantic swordfish and Chilean sea bass, and
flawed animal-rights arguments about whether or not it is humane to
fish.

"Americans need to be reminded that the health benefits of eating fish
are very real, while the risks are imaginary," added Martosko.

To schedule an interview, contact Andrew Porter at 202.463.7112.

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by
restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to
promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices. SOURCE
Center for Consumer Freedom