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PLEASE NOTE: The schedule posted here is as of 1/25/16, and is subject to change. Please check back for updates.
AUTHORS:Ryan R. Holem*, GEI Consultants of Michigan, P.C.
ABSTRACT: Fish contaminant issues should be evaluated when fisheries management actions are being considered for a given water body. It is widely known that elevated levels of contaminants can be found in tissues of some species of Great Lakes fish and consumption of fish is a primary route of human exposure to contaminants (e.g., methylmercury). In 2012, over 70% of Michigan anglers who responded to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) online survey rated contaminants as an “important” or “highly important” challenge to MDNR fisheries efforts, but the extent to which fish contaminant levels or the existence of fish consumption advisories may impact fishing participation is unclear. In recent years, significant changes in the population of popular Great Lakes sportfish (e.g., salmonids) have been observed in the Great Lakes. Shifts in angler harvest patterns due to changing fish communities could impact exposure of fish consumers to contaminants found in fish tissues, as could the implementation of fisheries management tools such as slot limits, modifications to minimum/maximum legal size, and bag limit changes.
Monday January 25, 2016 11:40am - 12:00pm EST
Gerald Ford
