Researchers at Duke and NCSU recently teamed up with fishermen (including members of the Walking Fish Cooperative) to study levels of mercury and PCBs in local seafood.

Is seafood safe to eat?

Researchers at Duke and North Carolina State University have been studying mercury and PCB levels in local fisheries. Results suggest:

NC seafood is cleaner with regard to mercury and PCBs than the
national average'

Small, inshore species are the best choice (shrimp had almost
undetectable levels of toxins)

Levels varied by water body (eg. Core Sound, Neuse River, Pamlico
Sound, Bogue Sound) so being able to tell exactly where your
seafood came from is the best way of estimating and limiting your
exposure

To learn more, check out:

The geography of mercury and PCBs in North Carolina's local seafood