The Herald / Jason Fritz (click to enlarge)

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Safe Harbor seafood tested for mercury

We know fish is good for us, right?

It’s one of the best proteins around if you’re a meat eater.

Fears about mercury, however, often detract from the glory of seafood.

Today, however, I have what I think is some pretty good news: Top Food & Drug and Haggen Food & Pharmacy stores have become the first supermarkets in the Northwest to offer Safe Harbor Certified Seafood.

Micro Analytical Systems Inc. of San Rafael, Calif., founded in 2002, offers its Safe Harbor Certified Seafood seal of approval only to fish that meets standards stricter than those set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Until Haggen and Top’s 33 stores in Washington and Oregon were added to the Safe Harbor program, MASI's program was pretty much limited to a handful of California grocers.

Safe Harbor Certified Seafood isn’t necessarily mercury free, but it is, according to MASI, certified to be consistently among the lowest in mercury around.

Not bad.

Read more about seafood and mercury from the EPA here or from the FDA here.

Finally, for a totally awesome guide on how to buy environmentally friendly seafood, check out the handy pocket guide from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program here.