Mercury in the stomach contents of dab ( Limanda limanda) from the North East Irish Sea and Mersey Estuary

Abstract

A study of mercury concentrations in the stomach contents of fish from the north-east Irish Sea and Mersey Estuary has been shown to provide a means for surveillance of geographical and time-based changes in environmental exposure of fish biota to mercury in marine and estuarine ecosystems. This paper describes data for the flatfish dab ( Limanda limanda), caught during the period 1986–1988. The low degree of variability in the data enables confirmation of clear trends in mercury concentration in stomach contents over time. As the inputs of mercury to the sewage sludge dumping ground in Liverpool Bay have decreased, there has been a corresponding decrease in mercury in fish food items. The mean mercury value in stomach contents around the dump site has declined to 100 μg kg −1 (wet weight) which now predominates over the whole of Liverpool Bay. In 1986, mercury concentrations in stomach contents of fish ranged to over 750 μg kg −1 although the majority of values were below 200 μg kg −1. Most of the sites within the Mersey Estuary produced mean concentrations which were similar to those in the open sea, except for Garston which is the site closest to an inland, and principal alternative, source of mercury.