Tuesday, August 8, 2006

How do the Chesapeake Bay favorites blue crabs and rockfish stack up?

BLUE CRABS have little omega-3 fatty acid -- about 300 milligrams per three-ounce serving, or just a fraction of what's found in fattier fish like salmon and tuna. The nonprofit group Environmental Defense advises no more than one meal a month of blue crabs, due to levels of PCBs and mercury. The State of Maryland says most adults can eat crabs up to twice a week (less for pregnant women and kids). Skip the crab "mustard," which carries pollutants.

ROCKFISH pack a decent amount of omega-3s, but only about half of what's in salmon. Environmental Defense advises eating only farmed rockfish due to concerns about mercury, PCBs and pesticides. Maryland authorities suggest limits of 24 wild rockfish meals from May through December and 12 meals from April 15 to May 15. Pregnant women and kids should eat less.