Search

We investigated Hg in muscle tissue of fish species from three trophic levels on fringing reefs of Tutuila (14°S, 171°W), plus water, sediment and turf alga. Accumulation of total Hg in the herbivore Acanthurus lineatus (Acanthuridae, lined surgeonfish, ( n = 40)) was negligible at 1.05 (±0.04) ng g −1 wet-weight, (∼65% occurring as methyl Hg). The mid-level carnivore Parupeneus spp. (Mullidae, goatfishes ( n = 10)) had total Hg 29.8 (±4.5) ng g −1 wet-weight (∼99% as methyl Hg). Neither A. lineatus or Parupeneus spp. showed a propensity to accumulate Hg based on body size. Both groups were assigned a status of “un-restricted” for monthly consumption limits for non-carcinogenic health endpoints for methyl Hg. The top-level carnivore Sphyraena qenie (Sphyraenidae, blackfin barracuda, n = 3) had muscle tissue residues of 105, 650 and 741 ng g −1 wet-weight (100% methyl Hg, with increasing concentration with body mass, suggesting that S. qenie >15 kg would have a recommendation of “no consumption”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine pollution does not recognise maritime boundaries. Consequently, protection of the marine environment from pollution must involve an international cooperative effort, with near neighbours, in particular, working together to protect coastal and ocean areas close to their political boundaries. This paper describes a regional approach adopted from 1988 to 1994 in the South Pacific Region to address marine pollution problems. Some 25 countries and territories lie within the region. Apart from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, the countries of the region consist basically of a large number of small islands separated by substantial stretches of ocean. Growing populations and demands for better living standards are exerting increasing pressures on coastal and marine resources, leading in some cases to significant marine pollution. The Region has limited financial and technical resources to address such problems and countries have therefore determined to assess and control them through a concerted regional approach. This paper reviews aspects of this effort, outlining the methods adopted, describing the outcomes and discussing the problems and lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]