Health Experts Caution Against Shark Consumption Due to High Mercury Levels

As Shark Week captures public attention, nutritionists are raising alarms about the safety of consuming shark meat, which remains a dietary staple in parts of Brazil, Iceland, South Korea, Japan, Spain and Portugal. Though relatively uncommon in American restaurants and markets due to sustainability and health concerns, shark continues to appear on some menus and seafood counters across the country.

While shark meat offers approximately 18 grams of protein per 3-ounce raw serving along with selenium and B vitamins, experts say the nutritional benefits are outweighed by significant health risks. Lisa Young, a registered dietitian and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, told Fox News Digital that the drawbacks of shark consumption generally exceed any advantages the protein source provides.

The primary concern centers on mercury accumulation. Because sharks occupy the top of the food chain as large, long-lived predators, they accumulate dangerous levels of mercury and other environmental contaminants throughout their lifespans. Kantha Shelke, a senior lecturer of food safety regulations at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, noted that shark meat carries the highest mercury burden among commercially available seafood options.

Mercury exposure poses particular risks to developing fetuses, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children, potentially damaging the central nervous system. Shelke also highlighted that sharks contain arsenic, another hazardous heavy-metal contaminant. For healthy adults, nutrition professionals recommend limiting shark to occasional consumption rather than regular dietary inclusion.

Alternatives such as salmon and sardines provide comparable or superior nutritional profiles without the associated toxin risks, experts maintain. Shelke advised that anyone choosing to eat shark should treat it as a one-time novelty rather than a dietary staple, and should avoid exceeding their weekly mercury budget by also consuming high-mercury fish like tuna steaks or swordfish that week.

Globally, Brazil remains the world’s largest consumer of shark meat, while Iceland traditionally prepares hákarl, a fermented Greenland shark delicacy prepared using centuries-old methods. In the United States, shark species are sometimes substituted for other seafood in dishes including fish and chips, fish pie, imitation crab products and Gulf Coast grilled shark steaks and tacos.

Unlike some international shark fisheries depleted by overfishing, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that American shark fisheries rank among the world’s most sustainable. Connecticut Insider identified K&S Roti Shop and Jamaican Restaurant in Stratford, Connecticut, as likely the state’s only establishment regularly serving a traditional Caribbean shark dish from Trinidad and Tobago.

Experts unanimously advise against shark consumption for pregnant individuals, those planning pregnancy, breastfeeding mothers and families with children. The medical consensus emphasizes selecting lower-mercury seafood options to meet recommended weekly seafood consumption of approximately twice per week.