Canada is renowned for its pristine lakes and rivers,
attracting recreational and subsistence fishers who enjoy and
consume the diverse fish species they catch. There is growing
concern, however, that certain fish species in some of Canada's
freshwater bodies have acquired elevated mercury levels. Mercury
released from human activities can
be converted in the environment to a
highly toxic form called methylmercury, which can bioaccumulate and biomagnify in fish
tissue, particularly in predatory species like pike, walleye and
bass. The consumption of mercury contaminated fish is one of the
main pathways for mercury exposure in humans, and may pose
serious health risks, particularly
for young children and the developing fetus.
In addition to creating regulatory
tools to reduce mercury releases to the environment, federal,
provincial and territorial governments have placed fish
consumption advisories on individual species, lakes and in some
cases on entire regions, in order to prevent high levels of
mercury exposure to consumers. The links below provide
information on some fish consumption advisories that are
available electronically. People who catch and consume fish as a
staple part of their diet should consult local fishing and health
authorities to obtain information about local advisories.
Examining Fish Consumption Advisories
Related to Mercury Contamination in Canada (2001) outlines
federal, provincial, and territorial roles, responsibilities and
procedures related to fish
consumption advisory development across Canada. This document
is not intended to serve as a reference guide for these
advisories because they can change over time. The links below
provide up to date information on current advisories in various
regions across Canada and/or contacts for the responsible
agencies.
The map below provides links to
provincial/territorial fish consumption advisories in Canada
Other Canadian Fish Advisories
Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Food Safety Facts on Mercury and Fish Consumption
Health Canada advisory information on mercury levels in
fish
Parks Canada advisory information on mercury levels in
fish in the Mountain National Parks in Alberta and British Columbia
Related Canadian Sites
Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Links to Related Provincial and Territorial Government Sites
Other North American Fish Advisories
EPA Fish and Wildlife
Advisories
Great Lakes Fish Consumption Advisories provided by the Great
Lakes Information Network (GLIN)
Nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes Section 8.4 Fish Consumption
Advisories
U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish
U.S. Food and Drug Administration - What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish
Fish consumption advisories have been published in the 2006
Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations. Advisories for
mercury are located in the "Other Information" section under
"Mercury Contamination in Fish."
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The B.C. Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection published
provincial fish advisories in the
Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis 2006-2007 . The advisories
are located in the "Special Restrictions/Notes" column within the
regional water-specific tables.
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Manitoba Conservation has a website about
Protecting the future of Manitoba's water, where you will find the 2006 Angler's Guide which includes information on mercury contamination in fish. For further
information on recommended consumption rates, contact a Manitoba
Water Stewardship Office or phone the Resource Information Service at
(204) 945-6784.
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The Fish and Wildife Branch of New Brunswick's Department of
Natural Resources and Energy published provincial fish advisories
in the manual Fish 2006. Mercury Contamination of
Freshwater Fish is located under For Further Information
on page 40.
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Various provincial fish consumption advisories have been issued
for water bodies in Newfoundland and Labrador. At the following
locations it is recommended that the designated fish species be
consumed no more than once per week:
General Fish Consumption Advisories
 |
| Location |
Species Affected |
|
| Insular Newfoundland |
| Cat Arm Reservoir |
Arctic charr |
| Long Pond Reservoir |
Ouananiche |
| Great Burnt Reservoir |
Ouananiche |
| Cold Spring Pond |
Ouananiche and brook trout |
| Labrador |
| Smallwood Reservoir |
Lake trout and northern pike |
| Lobstick Forebay |
Lake trout and northern pike |
| Churchill River 1 |
Lake trout and northern pike |
|
|
A consumption advisory has been issued for brook trout coming
from the Rose Blanche reservoir. Women of childbearing age
should limit their consumption of brook trout from Rose Blanche
to one 10 ounce serving per week. For children aged 5-11 years,
the serving should be 4.7 ounces and for children aged 1-4 years,
the serving should be 2.5 ounces. The advisory does not apply to
all other adults.
There is also a consumption advisory for certain species from
Star Lake. The following table provides the recommended
maximum amount of fish that can be safely consumed per week.
Advisories for Star Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador
|
| Individual |
Advisory (ounces / week) |
|
| Arctic charr |
Brook trout |
|
| Women (child-bearing age) |
4.1 |
1.8 |
| Children (5-11) |
1.8 |
0.8 |
| Children (1-4) |
0.74 |
0.4 |
| Adult |
9.6 |
4.3 |
|
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For fish advisories in the Northwest Territories, contact the
Department of Health and Social Services. Phone: (867)
920-3241
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The Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
published their fish advisories in the Angler's
Handbook and 2006 summary of regulations. The provincial
mercury advisory appears on page 63.
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There are currently no territorial fish advisories in
Nunavut.
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Ontario's Ministry of the Environment published provincial
fish consumption advisories in the 2005-2006
Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish.
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A fish consumption advisory has been issued for the O'Keefe Lake in Avondale. The mercury concentration measured in some of the trout in this lake exceeds the national guideline level of 0.5ppm. The PEI Department of Health and Social Services is advising the public that pregnant women and children under the age of 8 should avoid eating trout from O'Keefe Lake. Fish from other lakes, ponds or brooks on PEI have not been found to have mercury above the national guidelines.
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Quebec's Ministère de l'environnement publishes
provincial fish advisories on their website:
Guide de consommation du poisson de pêche sportive en
eau douce. (Available in French only)
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For fish consumption guidelines, please contact your regional
Saskatchewan Environment office. A directory of regional offices
has been published along with a summary of fishing regulations in The Angler's Guide,
available at the
Saskatchewan Anglers' Information Page.
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There are currently no territorial fish advisories for mercury
in the Yukon.
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