MP9 Metals and Bioaccumulation
Monday, 14 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM in Exhibit Hall

(SIM-1117-828520) Mercury in fish from New York State lakes and reservoirs.

Simonin, H.¹, Loukmas, J.², Skinner, L.³, ¹ New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Rome, New York, USA² New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York, USA³ New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York, USA

ABSTRACT- Atmospheric deposition of mercury is recognized as the primary source of this toxic chemical to many remote lakes and ponds. Both human health and environmental risks occur when mercury concentrations in fish are high. We began a 4-year project in June 2003 to improve our understanding of mercury in New York State, and fish from over 130 lakes are being analyzed for mercury as part of this project. We are focusing on collecting largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch, since these piscivorous fish have been shown to accumulate high mercury concentrations. Data from the study show that fish from the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve lakes have higher mercury concentrations than fish from other regions of the state. This may be due to differences in water chemistry, lake productivity or wetlands in the watershed. When comparing mercury concentrations from this study to data collected 10-15 years ago, preliminary analyses indicate variable responses among lakes. Several lakes showed little change in mercury concentration in similar size fish, while other lakes showed either positive or negative changes. Data collected by the project during the first 2 years have already been used by the New York State Department of Health to issue new fish consumption advisories on numerous lakes. We thank the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for substantial funding for this project.

Key words: mercury, fish, bioaccumulation, monitoring