From: bensmith@environmentaldefense.org
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2001 2:53 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Methylmercury Contamination of Fish, FDA Docket No. OOP-1411/CP
1



Food and Drug Administration, Dockets Management Branch
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20857

Dear Food and Drug Administration, Dockets Management Branch,

Take action now to help prevent people from eating
mercury contaminated fish.  Too many kinds of fish
that we eat are contaminated by unacceptable levels
of mercury.  You need to act now to tighten FDA's allowable
exposure level so it is consistent with the standard
that the EPA and National Academy of Sciences recommend.
Then you need to increase the agency's monitoring and
remove seafood from the market that violates this new,
tougher standard. I support the petition by the Center
for Science in the Public Interest to take these steps.
Approve the petition and give fish consumers a break
from this poison, please! 

The FDA also should expand its advisory to pregnant
women, women who may become pregnant, and nursing mothers
to avoid eating all types of methylmercury-contaminated
fish, including tuna steaks. The FDA can publicize
the risk best by requiring clear warning labels on
packages and in stores. FDA's weak advice to date is
just not enough. 



Sincerely,


Ben Smith
430 7th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11215