Contaminants in seafood
Seafood can contain low levels of environmental contaminants, including mercury, hydrocarbons, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. We monitor wild-caught and farmed fish and shellfish from Irish waters to understand contaminant levels and ensure they remain within safe legal limits.
How we monitor contaminants
- builds a long-term database of contaminant levels
- confirms compliance with EU regulations
- provides evidence that Irish seafood is safe to eat
Monitoring chemical residues in farmed fish
We test farmed fish for chemical residues to protect consumer health and meet EU food-safety requirements. Monitoring can detect prohibited or unauthorised substances and the misuse of authorised veterinary medicines.
The national residue control plan
Authorised veterinary medicines and treatments may be needed to control disease and infestation under health control plans. These include antibacterial and antiparasitic treatments.
All European Member States must monitor veterinary-medicine use in food-producing animals. This monitoring helps ensure farmed fish do not contain residues that could harm consumers.
What we test for
- only approved medicines are used
- residue levels for authorised substances remain within legal limits
- prohibited or unauthorised substances are not present
How monitoring protects consumers
Monitoring helps ensure food products are safe and meet EU standards. It also supports sustainable aquaculture and animal welfare.
Get more information
Contact the Chemistry team for more information about chemical safety monitoring in seafood.