SPATIAL PATTERNS IN ACCUMULATION OF MERCURY BY FISH FROM THE NE IRISH SEA

This paper reports concentrations of mercury in muscle tissue of three marine species of fish; plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.), dab (Limanda limanda L.) and lesser-spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus caniculus L.), at various locations within Liverpool Bay and the North East Irish Sea. Mean concentrations of mercury in fish muscle within any one sampling area followed the order: lesser spotted dogfish >> dab > plaice. Concentrations in lesser spotted dogfish were 5-10X higher than in flatfish from the same site. Regressions of mercury concentration against fish length showed significant relationships for the majority of species-site combinations, with the slope of the regression relating to distance from the Mersey Estuary.