Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification: A Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish

Define bioaccumulation: ______

______

Define biomagnification: ______

______

Draw a picture to illustrate how and why biomagnification occurs (you can copy and paste a diagram if you prefer, but you must still explain how it works):

As a result of bioaccumulation and biomagnification, contaminants in the water get into the food chain and end up in the fish that we catch and eat. The Ontario government tests fish and maintains a guide to let you know what amount of fish is safe to eat. Fish may contain the following contaminants:

Mercury: used in industry, toxic to brain and nervous system

Mirex: used as an insecticide, causes cancer

DDT: was used as an insecticide to kill disease-carrying insects; cause liver damage, cancer, weakens bird eggs, toxic to aquatic life

PCBs: many industrial uses; cause a variety of health problems including cancer

Dioxin: industrial waste product; cause a variety of health problems including cancer

Use the Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish (X:driveàDocumentsàCRITESàSVN 3EàOntario Sport Fish Guide)

Or go to the following link:

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/resources/collection/guide_to_eating_ontario_sport_fish/STDPROD_075994.html

·  Read pages 3 - 5: Instruction on use of the guide

1.  What do numbers 1 – 13 represent?

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

6. ______

7. ______

8. ______

9. ______

10. ______

11. ______

12. ______

13. ______

2.  The length of the fish is important in determining how much you eat: True or False?

·  See page 2

1.  Which fish species have the highest levels of PCBs and pesticides?

2.  Where is mercury contamination the major contaminant?

3.  Which fish have the highest mercury levels?

4.  Which fish have lower levels of mercury contamination?

·  See page 5: Contaminants in Ontario Sport Fish

1.  Where do many of the contaminants come from? How do contaminants from far away get into the local water?

·  See page 6

1.  What are the major concerns for women of childbearing age and children under age 15?

2.  In terms of meals per month, to which categories should the sensitive population (women of childbearing age and children under 15) restrict themselves?

3.  Should women of childbearing age, who eat store bought fish, restrict their intake of sport fish even more?

·  See page 7

1.  Why should fish organs never be eaten?

2.  Fill in the blanks: Because these contaminants are attracted to ______, the highest concentration is present in the ______deposits under the skin in the ______.

3.  Fish eggs are ok to eat. True or False? Explain.

·  See page 8

1.  Why should trophy size Muskellunge never be eaten?

·  See page 9

1.  Why are top predators tested for Mercury first?

·  Go to page 187, see Moose River

1.  For women of childbearing age and children under 15, how many meals per month can be eaten of: small pike ______large pike ______

2. How many meals per month of Walleye (pickerel) are allowed for:

The general population ______

The sensitive population ______

·  Go to page 168, see Kesagami Lake

1.  How many meals per month are allowed for:

·  Northern Pike over 30 inches long for the general population: ______

2.  What happens to the number of meals of walleye allowed, as the size of the walleye increases?

3.  What’s the largest size of Pike a woman of childbearing age should eat out of Lake Kesagami?

4.  In general there seem to more contaminants in larger fish. True or False.

Explain your answer.

·  Compare results from two locations of your choice. Record your results below.

·  Due to environmental contamination, we can only eat a limited number of fish without putting our health at risk. In short paragraph, describe your feeling and/or reaction to this below. (eg. Were you aware of these risks? How does this make you feel about hydroelectric and mining development? )