New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Mercury levels in some New Zealand sea fishes
W. L. F. van den BROEK
D. M. TRACEY
Fisheries Research Division Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries P.O. Box 19062 Wellington, New Zealand
S. R. B. SOLLY
M. AVRAHAMI
Wallaceville Animal Research Centre Research Division
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Upper Hutt,
New Zealand
Abstract Twenty-seven deep-water fish species from a number of locations around New Zealand were sampled between 1976 and 1980 to determine their flesh mercury levels. Twenty-four species (1300 specimens) had mean mercury levels below 0.5 mg.kg ~
1, the maximum permitted by the New Zealand Food and Drug Regulations (1973). The overall range was 0.02-2.40 mg. kg""
1. Mercury levels and fish length were positively correlated in 13 species. Locality effects were also detected; in ling
(Genypterus blacodes), mercury levels in individuals from all but 2 of the 5 areas investigated were significantly different. Water temperature was considered to be an important factor because fast-growing ling in warm waters generally had more mercury in their flesh than those from cooler regions.
Keywords mercury; marine fish; bioaccumula-tion; food fish; food contamination; fishery resources.
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1981, Vol. 15 : 137-146 Received 9 January 1981
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (567K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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