Re: Despite Fukushima, eating fish is safe (Science Matters, Oct. 11)
In the last couple of weeks, marine biologists, nuclear scientists and environmentalists have issued reports about the high levels of radiation they’re finding in all sea life across the Pacific Ocean.
This means my husband and I will no longer eat any fish or kelp or sea salt from the Pacific Ocean, no matter how local, sustainable, wild, organic, etc., they otherwise are.
You can imagine how shocked my husband and I were reading Dr. Suzuki’s column. I never thought he would choose protecting the fishing industry over protecting people, animals and habitats and would instead promote doing something so dangerous as eating anything from the Pacific at this time.
Since Fukushima, I have been waiting for our government, federal and provincial, and folks like Dr. Suzuki to address what is becoming the worst nuclear disaster in human history. People need to know if they’re eating radioactive seafood and ingesting radioactive isotopes which cause a variety of cancers.
If Dr. Suzuki is willing to take his chances, that is his decision. As public policy, such a stance is negligent at best, dangerous at worst. The consequences of promoting eating radioactive seafood -- with the caveat that it’s OK as long as it is local and sustainable -- are enormous.
Helene Harrison
Victoria