Tag Archives: mercury levels

Mercury-tainted fish found in Glacier Park’s Lake McDonald

Here’s a considerably more detailed article on the recent announcement of unacceptable mercury levels in some fish in certain areas of a number of western national parks . . .

A “first-of-its-kind” study released last week discovered mercury in fish in some of the most remote and pristine lakes and streams in national parks across the western United States and Alaska – but it wasn’t a surprise to Glacier National Park fisheries biologist Chris Downs.

Glacier is updating information for a brochure it already puts out regarding guidelines for fish consumption from waters inside the park because of contaminants such as mercury, which is harmful to both human and wildlife health.

“The national study continues to demonstrate that contaminants are reaching places we think of as isolated or protected,” Downs said. “Because of airborne transport, it’s a global issue.”

Read more . . .

Further reading: The actual report (PDF format, 6.7MB), Mercury in Fishes from 21 National Parks in the Western United States—Inter- and Intra-Park Variation in Concentrations and Ecological Risk.

High mercury levels found in small percentage of national park fish

Not clear what it means yet, but a study turned up high mercury levels in some national park fish…

Federal scientists have found high amounts of mercury in sport fish caught in remote areas of Western national parks, including Glacier National Park, according to a study released Thursday.

Researchers for the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service said that most fish they caught had acceptable levels of mercury, but 4 percent exceeded healthy levels.

Mercury occurs naturally, but scientists say its presence in national parks, which are supposed to leave wildlife unimpaired for future generations, was cause for concern.

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