Kitikmeot char test clean
Researcher finds low levels of chemicals in sea-run fish species
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, August 10, 2015
IKALUKTUTIAK/CAMBRIDGE BAY
Sea-run Arctic char in the Kitikmeot region are relatively clean and chemical-free, according to recent research.
Jonathan Keating, aquatic biology technologist, and Megan Kroess, research assistant, analyze a fish from Cambridge Bay. Sea-run Arctic char in the Kitikmeot appear to be very low in chemical concentrations, according to Environment Canada research. - photo courtesy of Environment Canada |
Marlene Evans, a research scientist with Environment Canada, visited Cambridge Bay recently to meet with the local hunters and trappers organization to give an update on her studies.
She's been measuring various chemicals in sea-run Arctic char since 2004, studying fish from 20 communities. The study is part of the Northern Contaminants Program by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, and it monitors the concentration of chemicals in marine mammals, sea bird eggs, fish and air.
"The animals that were selected for monitoring are important in traditional diets," said Evans.
Cambridge Bay has been monitored annually to detect trends.
"We found that, as expected, chemical levels were very low in sea-run char populations across Northern Canada," said Evans.
Old chemicals that are listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, such as DDT and chlordane, are declining in concentration in Kitikmeot char.
That makes sense, said Evans, because those chemicals have been banned in many countries.
Newer chemicals, such as flame retardants, have been detected in the Arctic char but concentrations are low.
Her team is also monitoring mercury in fish.
"While concentrations in fish can be high in some fish species such as lake trout, walleye and pike, the concentrations we observed were exceedingly low," she said.
Evans works directly with hunters and trappers organizations.
Her team started in Cambridge Bay in 2004 because a long record of measurements of chemicals in fish already existed there from the commercial industry.
"Fishermen with the HTO have always been supportive by providing harvested fish to us from their domestic fishery," said Evans.
"We have processed those fish at the fish plant in Cambridge Bay. People were able to observe this and also learn about the processing. Each year, fish are also frozen and shipped to our labs in Saskatoon for processing and analysis. The fish have always been in very good condition."
In response to growing community interest in mercury concentrations in char and lake trout, said Evans, her team was able to receive and analyze fish from Grenier Lake, as well.
Seals, beluga whales and polar bear have features that cause their contaminant levels to be higher than in Arctic char, said Evans.
"They are warm-blooded and eat a lot more than cold-blooded char, they are predators, have fatty tissues and they can live a very long time," said Evans. "Organic contaminant levels in these animals are much lower in the meat than the blubber and mercury is lower in the meat than liver and kidney."
Her next research goal is to find out how Arctic char are affected by changing environmental conditions.
"It seems that in colder years, char do not put on as much weight and have slightly higher mercury concentrations than in warm years when they put on more weight," she noted.
Evans said her team has developed very positive working relationships with community members in Cambridge Bay.
