A groundbreaking study from the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Côte d’Azur University has uncovered the shocking extent of methylmercury contamination in Mediterranean seafood, revealing the devastating dual threat to public health and livelihoods that could be costing the region more than €10 billion annually.
An alarming report led by Dr. Nathalie Hilmi, the head of Environmental Economics at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), and Professor Marie-Yasmine Bottein, a biologist at Côte d’Azur University, has brought into sharp focus the dangers of dangerously high methylmercury (MeHg) levels in seafood found in local waters throughout the Mediterranean basin.
MeHg is a hazardous substance that accumulates in marine food chains, including those in the Mediterranean Sea. Long-term exposure, particularly through seafood consumption, poses significant risks to human health. Infants and developing children are especially vulnerable, as MeHg can cause neurological damage and developmental delays.
However, the impact goes beyond health. The report states that cognitive deficits caused by MeHg exposure could result in reduced productivity, costing Mediterranean economies dearly — and far beyond the more immediately visible or individual effects.
The study, which analysed seafood supply data, dietary surveys and mercury contamination levels, estimates that MeHg exposure costs Mediterranean countries over €10 billion annually due to reduced IQ and productivity losses.
Despite the Mediterranean diet’s reliance on seafood, the full scope of MeHg’s impact has remained chronically understudied, especially as global trade shifts consumption patterns.
One key insight from the research is the paradoxical role of the international seafood trade. Importing less contaminated seafood can lower local MeHg exposure, but it shifts the contamination burden to exporting regions, highlighting the need for global cooperation to ensure safe seafood practices and manage shared risks.
This study by CSM and Côte d’Azur University stands out for its interdisciplinary methodology, combining ecological, dietary, and economic data for a comprehensive view of MeHg’s effects. By linking seafood consumption directly to economic outcomes, the research underscores the high stakes of environmental and public health policies.
The findings call for urgent action to better regulate and monitor methylmercury levels in seafood. Without coordinated efforts, the health and economic costs of this invisible threat will continue to climb.
To read more about the report and its findings, click here.
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