Bad catch

Dolphin meat mislabelled as whale meat in Japan is polluted with toxic levels of mercury. The Japanese government maintains that all cetacean meat sold in Japan is safe for consumption, but researchers at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido found that two processed foods made from dolphin meat and bought in Tokyo contained 2000 micrograms of mercury per gram. This is 5000 times higher than the 0.4 microgram safety level. Another 24 dolphin meat products bought in Wakayama also exceeded safety limits for mercury. The researchers are calling for urgent testing of cetacean meat to protect public safety.