Clamoring for safe seafood

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Washington hostess tells the story of an acquaintance who summarily declined her dinner invitation when told the entree would be grilled trout. The would-be guest objected on grounds that most trout sold these days is farm-raised, and he believes the health of such fish is harmed by what they are being fed.

Call the problem fish phobia or, alternately, the seafood scare. There is a great deal of confusion among consumers about the general health of various species of fish and conflicting advice about the best sources of information on the subject.

What may be considered a safe fish to eat in one location -- free of pollutants and of population pressures -- may not be in another. Though numerous authorities and organizations are qualified to speak out on the subject, their studies are not always conclusive. The world of aquaculture is vast and still in its infancy.

Fish often is touted as an excellent source of protein and a good choice because it is low in the kinds of fat that most often lead to heart disease. Salmon is one of the species known to contain a large amount of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids found in all fish. Omega-3 fats also are found in algae and other plant sources, says Wahida Karmally, a research scientist and registered dietitian who teaches at Columbia University.

Not all so-called fish farms can be maligned categorically, although some farms may use feed that has a high concentration of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. The latter is a toxic chemical, now banned, that seeps into the soil from various waste products and is known to have long-term health effects on humans. Long-term exposure to mercury can severely harm body organs.

Rob Klink, executive chef of Oceanaire Seafood Room in Northwest, says the secret to getting healthy, uncontaminated fish is knowing your suppliers and vendors and paying attention to ongoing research. He cites a study in the October issue of Science magazine that states that mercury found in fish is less toxic than that from other sources.

"The Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency are working on this matter," he notes.

Most salmon served in Mr. Klink's restaurant is wild because, he says, wild salmon is known to be less contaminated. It generally is more expensive than farm-raised salmon because of the costs involved in capture and shipment of the fish, but a restaurateur can't take salmon off the menu because customers demand it, he and other chefs report.