Fish are considered as an important source of protein, essential minerals, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids. However, nutritional and economic importance of fish it may be a main source of heavy metals which can counteract their beneficial effects and may cause health hazards for human if consumed for long time. Therefore, eighty fish samples Clarias lazera and Mugil cephalus were collected randomly from different sources (markets, captures and farms) in Kafr-[El-sheikh governorate, Egypt. Fish samples were collected from and were analyzed for heavy metals residues (Total Mercury, Lead, Cadmium and Zinc) in their flesh using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Fish samples were collected from
market revealed that, the percent of samples exceeded the safe permissible limits for Hg, Pb and Cd that established by EOSQC (2010) were 35, 20&20% and 65, 55 & 60% for Mugil cephalus and Clarias lazera. Even though, fish samples were collected from capture showed that, the percent of samples exceeded the safe permissible limits that recommended by
EOSQC (2010) were 30, 20& 20% and 50, 40 & 60% for Hg, Pb and Cd residues of Mugil cephalus and Clarias lazera respectively. The results also showed that, the percent of farmed fish samples exceeded the safe permissible limit were 30, 0, 10% & 70, 40 & 60% for Hg, Pb and Cd residues of Mugil cephalus and Clarias lazera. The results also clarified that Zn
concentration levels of both Mugil cephalus and Clarias lazera fish were higher than those of other examined heavy metal residues. Moreover, there were non- significant differences (p>0.05) in heavy metal concentration levels in flesh of Mugil cephalus and Clarias lazera which were collected from captures and farms