WA6 Alaska North-Slope Environmental Monitoring
Room 18A/B, Level 4
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Wednesday, 12 November 2003
Chair: Boehm, Paul ,
(379) PCB composition in searun vs. resident whitefish in subsistence fisheries of northern Alaska.
Allen-Gil, S1, Ford, J2, Seigle, J2, Akpik, M3, Woods, J3, Nashagnik, J3, 1 Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY2 Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR3 Inupiat partners, North Slope Borough, AK
ABSTRACT- This project examines the role of the two amphidromous fish species (least cisco and broad whitefish) in biotransport of pollutants in northern Alaska. At selected coastal plain subsistence lakes, we collected sediment, plankton, and several fish species. Trophic position of fish is being examined using 
15N. The relative influence of the marine system to individual fish is being examined using 13C and 32S in muscle as well as Sr/Ca in otoliths. Otolith microchemistry indicated that resident and migratory behaviors were seen in both fish species, with resident behavior being more prevalent. For least cisco, marine migration was less common in inland lakes compared to coastal lakes. 
PCB concentration were typically quite low (<3 
g/g lipid) and correlated with increasing trophic position for all species except burbot (Lota lota). Tri-, tetra- and penta-CBs comprised the majority of SPCBs. There was no difference in the PCBs concentration between resident and searun least cisco, and there was no difference between the relative concentration of individual congeners between these two groups. These two observations combined suggest that POPs are not biotransported by fish into inland systems from the marine environment to a significant extent, and that atmospheric and local sources are probably more important.
Key words: whitefish, arctic, PCBs, biotransport