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"For fetuses, infants, and children, the primary health effect of methyl mercury is impaired neurological development. Methyl mercury exposure in the womb, which can result from a mother's consumption of fish and shellfish that contain methyl mercury, can adversely affect a baby's growing brain and nervous system. Impacts on cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills have been seen in children exposed to methyl mercury in the womb. Recent human biological monitoring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1999 and 2000 shows that the majority of people have blood mercury levels below a level associated with possible health effects. Outbreaks of methyl mercury poisonings have made it clear that adults, children, and developing fetuses are at risk from ingestion exposure to \[the compound\]." (Health Effects, 2007).

Another possible approach to reducing fish consumption would be to inform individuals of the advantages of becoming a vegan or vegetarian. Mission 2011 does not, however, support replacing the protein and nutritional value gained from fish with other animal meats, especially cattle: the beef industry is a large contributor to global warming through activities ranging from the clear-cutting of forests to methane production by cattle (Marian, 2007). We do endorse obtaining the necessary nutrients from combinations of the necessary nutrients from combinations of grain/wheat/flour with legumes/vegetables/beans.    Additional information on combining foods to achieve optimal protein intake from information on combining foods to achieve optimal protein intake from non-animal sources can be found on \[Protein in the Vegan Diet\|http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm\] and on this \[Protein Information Sheet\|http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html\]. We also recognize that protein replacement in societies entirely dependent on fish, or in countries with little arable land, is much more difficult and less logical. Therefore, Mission 2011 strongly encourages people with access to other sources of protein to substantially decrease their consumption of Mission 2011 strongly encourages people with access to other sources of protein to substantially decrease their consumption of fish.

Incentives must be identified for companies to implement fish-limiting policies as they may be detrimental to their economies, at least in the immediate short term. When proposing treaties, the UN must be able to convince nations that, in the long term, this will prevent the 'tragedy of the commons' from happening (Numprasertchai and Igel). More international trust can be gathered by the formation of an international body responsible for gathering scientific data and routing it to the different governments (Smith).This can be achieved by allowing scientific and policy representatives from different countries to work together and by allowing access and review of data by professionals from any interested country. Several bodies like this already exist, though more attention should be devoted to them. Governments also need to be educated about the importance of saving the oceans, irrespective of immediate costs, to prevent a global oceanic catastrophe.

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