A word of warning to reporters who might have come across a press release promoting a little-known study that purports to look at the benefits and risks associated with eating fish. The study claims it finds gaps in the scientific and nutrition understanding of seafood. But that is not in keeping with widely-accepted published, peer-reviewed research. The paper ignores the fact that the FDA recently published a definitive decade-long study on this exact subject that concluded the benefits of seafood far outweigh the risks, while the U.S. Dietary Guidelines came to the exact same conclusion.

A chart included in the piece is designed to illustrate the studies they reviewed. But according to the table that the authors produced there appears to be no positive associations with eating fish (and if there is a positive, there is also a “but” in the association description). Really? Despite decades of definitive studies on the subject this band of intrepid researchers can’t find anything positive to say about fish.

This type of agenda driven, research malpractice should be taken with a grain of salt.

And in case you think “agenda driven, research malpractice” is presumptuous, I offer you this bit of background; the lead auther of the study has openly campaigned as part of an anti-commercial seafood coalition with Mercury Policy Project, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Working Group and Oceana – hardly the voice of independent research.