Methylmercury in tissues of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus) from the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada

Abstract

Environmental contamination by mercury is a concern in marine food webs, and especially for large fish. We examined methylmercury (MeHg) levels in blood, muscle and liver of 35 individual Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus), a commercially harvested, anadromous fish eastern Canada. Females had higher blood and liver MeHg levels than males, and in some tissues there was a suggestion of higher mercury in longer fish. Collectively, sturgeon MeHg levels were far below Canadian and international guidelines for safe consumption of fish meat.

Keywords: Anadromous; Canada; Fish; Mercury.