The New York Times is reporting that "high" levels of mercury are showing up at many of the city's sushi joints:

Recent laboratory tests found so much mercury in tuna sushi from 20 Manhattan stores and restaurants that at most of them, a regular diet of six pieces a week would exceed the levels considered acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Meh. What a bunch of alarmists. Some of the greatest thinkers in the history humankind ate mercury regularly, and without any fish or rice:

After Newton's death, his burial place was moved. During the exhumation, it was discovered that Newton had massive amounts of mercury in his body, probably resulting from his alchemical pursuits.

In Neil Stephenson's portrayal of the Baroque Era, these guys were frequently consulting their trusty quicksilver. In fact, I'm not sure there was a single invention or scientific break-through that wasn't preceded by someone chomping the Hg. One second you're reading that Hooke's into the quicksilver again and the next thing you know Hooke has invented the first accurate portable timepiece.

And besides, there are clear warning signs one can use to detect any harmful effects before they get out of control:

The few practicioners of physic who disdain the use of quicksilver claim it to be harmful and potentially fatal to the constitution. There are indeed several side effects associated with the Specific, but these are easily avoided with proper treatment. Symptoms such as profuse salivation and bloody discharge from the mouth and bowels are indications that the patient has too much mercury in his system. Reducing the dosage should alleviate these ailments.

So if you start bleeding profusely from the bowels, just eat a few less pieces and you'll be fine. No biggie.

Oh, and if you happen to be moving through Cleveland, I highly suggest the White Tuna nigiri-zushi at Sushi Rock (in the warehouse district). It'll make you mad like a hatter.