Acronym Mercury in deep water fish
Category
Fisheries
Title Concentrations of mercury in deep water fish caught in the Hardangerfjord Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Amund Maage Coordinator email ama@nifes.no
Coordinator institution
NIFES - National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (Norway)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2011 End year 2012 Funding (€) € NA Website NA Summary The Hardangerfjord area in Western Norway has been known to be affected by heavy metals mainly from industry for more than hundred years. This project included sampling of 150 tusks (Brosme brosme) divided on 12 stations, 40 blue ling (Molva dypterygia) from eight stations caught on long line in the Hardangerfjord. In addition, 29 ling (Molva molva) samples from nine stations and four wolf fish from two stations were sampled. Also crayfish, lobster and crabs were samples from three stations. The fish samples were analysed for mercury while the crustacea samples were analysed for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. The highest values of mercury in tusk fillets were observed in the station Djønno in the Eidfjorden with a mean of 2,9 mg Hg/kg ww. A decreasing trend from the inner fjord system and outward against the coast was observed, but in the whole Hardangerfjord to the outermost stations the mean mercury level in fillets were above the EU and Norwegian limit of 0,5 mg Hg/kg ww for this species for commercial sales for human consumption. The levels in blue ling were slightly lower but still rather elevated compared to the limit. Also in the ling there was observed elevated levels of mercury in fillet, but to a lesser degree that for the two other species and the area where it would be legal to sell is much larger. For the other fish species and the crustaceans one can observe that the area is influenced by heavy metals but any restrictions would probably be satisfactory covered by dietary guidelines already in place.
Goal:
To monitor seafood safety in deep water fish in a fjord system affected by heavy metals.
Keywords
Impacts;
Toxic substances;
Fish;
Monitoring;
Marine Region
13
Northern North Sea (27.IVa)
1
Marine Region Map
