Abstract
Abstract Ambient concentrations of many essential and non-essential trace elements in coastal waters off New South Wales (NSW), Australia are among the lowest reported anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. Nevertheless, concentrations of various contaminants in regional and migratory marine biota have been recorded above existing, established thresholds, and with possible implications for various negative biological effects. We quantified the concentrations of 24 trace elements in 57 individuals from 13 species (dolphins, sharks, rays and teleosts) caught in bather-protection gillnets deployed off northern NSW at 29°S. While muscle concentrations of most elements were below detection limits, >50% of specimens (mostly larger sharks) had Hg at concentrations exceeding thresholds that might damage biomechanical processes, while several others had As and Cd concentrations elevated to within the ranges of values previously demonstrated to cause negative effects among other species, including deformities among eggs, embryos or larvae. Future research is warranted to quantify the broader extent of the observed contaminant loads and any physiological impacts on wild populations.
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