Fish mercury peaks in winter and near spawning, and reduces after
growing season, study suggests

Date:
July 5, 2023
Source:
University of Helsinki
Summary:
Fish consumption has long been associated with numerous health
benefits.

However, it is also the main dietary source of toxic mercury in
humans. A year-round study from a boreal lake shows that mercury
concentration in some fishes is significantly higher in winter
and near spring spawning and lowest in autumn.


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FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Fish consumption has long been associated with numerous health benefits.

However, it is also the main dietary source of toxic mercury in
humans. A year- round study from a Finnish boreal lake shows that mercury concentration in some fishes is significantly higher in winter and near
spring spawning and lowest in autumn after the growing season.

The pronounced seasonal changes of warm open-water and cold ice-covered
seasons dominate natural cycles in Finnish lakes.

"Summer is the growing season of fish followed by weight loss during
winter and spring spawning time" says research team leader, Professor
Kimmo Kahilainen from the Lammi Biological Station, University of
Helsinki.

Significant changes in temperature and other environmental factors during colder months result in lowered metabolism in fish. Additionally, less
food is available for fish during this harsh timeframe. Under these
conditions, eventually the energy required to grow is not met by the
amount of energy taken in, resulting in weight loss and starvation.

This seasonal cycle means that fish mercury in winter and spring can be up
to 30-40% higher compared to summer and autumn. Differences are pronounced
in fish feeding on other fish, such as perch and pikeperch, which are
important species for both recreational and commercial fishing in the
boreal region and continue to be staples in regional dishes. Despite the
higher mercury found during these seasons, all fish species in studied
southern Finnish lake were below the fish consumption health limit
(0.5 mg/kg) for mercury.

Winter is an immensely important driver of natural cycles, but how,
and to what extent these colder months influence lake ecosystems is not
well understood or just assumed, as minimal field research is conducted
during this time of the year compared to warmer months. The nature
of the work is demanding, requiring physically intensive and extended
periods of time in freezing conditions on potentially unstable surfaces
in low light. Such conditions present numerous logical challenges for researchers to contend with and manage effectively and responsibly.

Lead author doctoral researcher Alex Piro from the Lammi Biological
Station, University of Helsinki, suggests that "considering our findings
in perch and pikeperch, more frequent boreal mercury monitoring in
wild fish during winter should be considered due to their higher
concentration. When considering the human nutrition and fisheries
management perspectives, the sustainable solution would be to consider
limiting the fishing near the spawning time." This study conducted at
the University of Helsinki Lammi Biological Station provides valuable
insights into the seasonal dynamics of mercury in fish, contributing to
ongoing efforts to accurately monitor and understand mercury levels in
fish and support informed decision-making.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Health_&_Medicine
# Nutrition # Fitness # Diseases_and_Conditions #
Menopause
o Earth_&_Climate
# Environmental_Science # Hazardous_Waste # Sustainability
# Global_Warming
* RELATED_TERMS
o Mercury_poisoning o Mercury_(element) o Oily_fish o
Lake_effect_snow o Nutrition o Ozone_layer o Swordfish o
Mediterranean_diet

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========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. A.J. Piro, S.J. Taipale, H.M. Laiho, E.S. Eerola,
K.K. Kahilainen. Fish
muscle mercury concentration and bioaccumulation fluctuate
year-round - Insights from cyprinid and percid fishes in a humic
boreal lake.

Environmental Research, 2023; 231: 116187 DOI: 10.1016/
j.envres.2023.116187 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230705105811.htm

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