Sometimes a large net is set across an entire bay to trap the prized fish. In the old days, most of the village would gather to help fill the net and then share in the harvest.
Over the past three weeks, it has not been unusual to see a large crowd of fishermen using rod and reel to catch fish in and around the Agaña Boat Basin because the atulai are running. These days, local people often refer to the atulai as “mackerel.” Known as atule in American Samoa and akule in Hawaii, the big-eyed scad (Selar crumenophthalmus) is abundant and popular throughout the Pacific Islands.
Omega-3 fatty acids, or O3FA, have been found to play a vital role in human nutrition, disease prevention, and health promotion. Medical studies have increasingly suggested a causal relationship between omega-3 fatty acid intake and heart disease prevention. O3FA decreases triglyceride and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels in the blood, effectively cleaning out the bad fat that can cause heart attacks and strokes. Other medical conditions that may improve with increased O3FA intake are Alzheimer’s disease, mental illness, autoimmune disease, obesity, and certain cancers.
Aquatic animal fats are good sources of essential fatty acids that are not synthesized in the human body. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids. Tuna, trout, herring, sardines and salmon have been recommended as good sources of dietary omega-3 fatty acids.
Unfortunately, nearly all fish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk of mercury poisoning from eating fish and shellfish is negligible. Yet some fish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system. In its worst form, mercury poisoning can cause paralysis, severe brain damage, and even death.
The largest source of mercury contamination in the United States is coal-fueled power plant emissions. Coal contains mercury as a natural contaminant. When it is fired for electricity generation, the mercury is released as smoke into the atmosphere. Most of this mercury pollution can be eliminated if pollution-control devices are installed.
The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount eaten and the levels of mercury in the animal.
Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children to avoid some types of fish and only eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
Mercury and methylmercury are present in only small concentrations in seawater. However, mercury can be absorbed by algae at the start of the food chain. The algae are then eaten by fish and other organisms higher in the food chain.
Predator species like sharks, tuna and swordfish can then amass toxic body concentrations from the species they consume.
Low on the food chain and blessed with good fat, atulai or big-eyed scad is a fish with the perfect balance of low mercury and high omega-3 fatty acid content. This rapidly reproducing fish has continued to remain abundant in our waters, and if managed properly, can remain a healthy food source for generations to come.
VINCE AKIMOTO, M.D.
Upper Tumon, Guam
