Seafood Advisories: Seafood Advisories: Seafood Industry Seafood Industry

ResponseResponse

Bob Collette, National Fisheries InstituteBob Collette, National Fisheries InstitutePresented atPresented at

Seafood: Assessing the Benefits and Seafood: Assessing the Benefits and RisksRisks

Cook College, New Brunswick, NJCook College, New Brunswick, NJ

Dickens Said it Best:Dickens Said it Best:

““It was the best of times, it was the It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…it was the epoch of worst of times…it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…it was the spring of hope, it was the it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…in short, the period winter of despair…in short, the period was so far like the present period, that was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” – comparison only.” – A Tale of Two Cities A Tale of Two Cities

The Best of TimesThe Best of Times

The American Heart Association The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per weekrecommends two servings of fish per week

The National Inst. Of Health NHLBI The National Inst. Of Health NHLBI supports dietary guidance about fish and supports dietary guidance about fish and CVDCVD

NHLBI’s Adult Treatment Panel supports NHLBI’s Adult Treatment Panel supports AHA’s recommendation that fish be part of AHA’s recommendation that fish be part of a heart-disease risk-reduction diet a heart-disease risk-reduction diet

The Epoch of BeliefThe Epoch of Belief

FDA/EPA Fish Advisory, March 2004:FDA/EPA Fish Advisory, March 2004:““Fish and shellfish are an important part of a Fish and shellfish are an important part of a

healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children’s proper growth to heart health and children’s proper growth and development. So, women and young and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.” nutritional benefits.”

The Epoch of IncredulityThe Epoch of Incredulity

““Absolutely, I would avoid all fish.”Absolutely, I would avoid all fish.”

““if [alcohol and tobacco] are harmful if [alcohol and tobacco] are harmful and require labels, then so should fish.”and require labels, then so should fish.”

““I will not introduce tuna to my kids’ I will not introduce tuna to my kids’ diets.”diets.”

--FDA Focus Group Comments, 2003-2004--FDA Focus Group Comments, 2003-2004

The Spring of HopeThe Spring of HopeCurrent & future N-3 BenefitsCurrent & future N-3 Benefits

Alzheimer’sAlzheimer’s

CancerCancer

Premature BirthPremature Birth

AsthmaAsthma

Neurodev/ADHDNeurodev/ADHD

ArthritisArthritis

DepressionDepression

The Spring of HopeThe Spring of HopeCurrent & future N-3 BenefitsCurrent & future N-3 Benefits

Enormous body of science showing Enormous body of science showing fish and N-3 fatty acids reduce the fish and N-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseaserisk of cardiovascular disease

The Winter of DespairThe Winter of Despair

Farmed salmon higher in PCBsFarmed salmon higher in PCBs

300,000 babies at risk from mercury300,000 babies at risk from mercury

Pregnant women advised not to eat Pregnant women advised not to eat RTE smoked fish due to Listeria RTE smoked fish due to Listeria

Communications ChallengesCommunications Challenges

Narrowly targeted audience v. mass Narrowly targeted audience v. mass mediamedia

Complex scienceComplex science

Diverse agendasDiverse agendas

ResourcesResources

Communications ChallengesCommunications Challenges

Narrowly targeted audience v. mass Narrowly targeted audience v. mass mediamedia

Complex Science—Putting the Risk Complex Science—Putting the Risk in Perspectivein Perspective

300,000 babies at risk nationwide300,000 babies at risk nationwide• Based on EPA Reference Dose (RfD) for Based on EPA Reference Dose (RfD) for

mercury (RfD a level of exposure over mercury (RfD a level of exposure over time believed to be without risk)time believed to be without risk)

• Calculates from a CDC study the number Calculates from a CDC study the number of women in childbearing years with of women in childbearing years with blood mercury levels that exceed the blood mercury levels that exceed the RfD and who might become pregnant.RfD and who might become pregnant.

Risk and the RfdRisk and the Rfd EPA/FDA: Rfd not a “bright line” between safe & EPA/FDA: Rfd not a “bright line” between safe &

unsafeunsafe

10 X safety (uncertainty) factor10 X safety (uncertainty) factor

300,000 women on average about 8 X below300,000 women on average about 8 X belowpredicted affects levelpredicted affects level

Media interprets as over Rfd = affectedMedia interprets as over Rfd = affected

Result-- Consumers eschew all seafood in fearResult-- Consumers eschew all seafood in fear

MERCURY COVERAGE 2004MERCURY COVERAGE 2004

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

DEC JAN FEB MAR APR

stories

U.S. TUNA SALESU.S. TUNA SALES4-Wk periods compared to year ago4-Wk periods compared to year ago

-12

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

Dec. 13 Jan. 10 Feb. 7 Mar. 6 Apr. 3

% Chg

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL:HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL:Industry ActionsIndustry Actions

NYT, WSJ Op-EdsNYT, WSJ Op-Eds News Releases/ WebsiteNews Releases/ Website InterviewsInterviews PartnershipsPartnerships ResearchResearch

• Understanding the riskUnderstanding the risk• Mitigating the riskMitigating the risk• Risk ComparisonsRisk Comparisons

MORE TO BE DONEMORE TO BE DONE

Encourage gov’t to conduct targeted Encourage gov’t to conduct targeted education campaigneducation campaign• Doctors and Health Professionals who Doctors and Health Professionals who

provide medical services and advice to provide medical services and advice to women and young childrenwomen and young children

Risk-based programs at harvest, Risk-based programs at harvest, growing and processing points to growing and processing points to reduce contaminationreduce contamination• E.g. Farmed salmon E.g. Farmed salmon

ConclusionConclusion

Fish is not tobacco or alcoholFish is not tobacco or alcohol Fish has know benefits to adults and Fish has know benefits to adults and

childrenchildren Government, health professionals, Government, health professionals,

media and industry must work media and industry must work together to assure dissemination of together to assure dissemination of proactive effective and targeted proactive effective and targeted information to consumersinformation to consumers