Introduction
Seafood provides a source of protein, essential vitamins and minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Americans are encouraged to include seafood as a part of a healthy diet. Adult Americans are recommended to eat at least 8 ounces of seafood each week, while pregnant and breastfeeding women are recommended to eat between 8-ounces and 12-ounces of certain types of seafood.1 In 2018, the average American ate approximately 16.1 pounds of seafood, including fish and shellfish, and the amount of seafood Americans are eating each year is gradually rising.2
Changes in environmental conditions in our waterways and oceans attributed to human actions contribute to an increasing prevalence of naturally occurring biotoxin producing algae. Marine life including clams, mussels, crabs, and sardines show few to no negative impacts from consuming these biotoxins. However, they can become vectors of toxins when larger predators such as birds, otters, sea lions, whales, and humans consume contaminated organisms. Biotoxin poisoning can cause minor to significant negative health effects, including death. Humans can potentially lose the ability to secure safe consumable seafood from our oceans. Communities and economies dependent on fishing and harvesting of seafood are also vulnerable. Even more at risk are marine species that do not have alternative food sources.
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