High summer concentrations of mercury in big perch (Perca fluviatilis L) from the Tvärminne archipelago (SW Finland) and Nåtö (Aland Islands) Baltic sea.

During high summer seasons in 1994-1999 84 big (20-42 cm total length) female perch (Perca fluviatilis L) were sampled from the waters around Tvärminne Zoological Station on the Hanko-Hangö peninsula on the SW coast of Finland for mercury analysis. Additional sampling of 13 big female perch during the same season were carried out from the waters of Nåtö Biological Station on the Aland Islands in 1997-1998. High summer is the most important season for perch fishing and consumption not only for private families during leisure time but also for professional fishery including trade and export, processing and preparations for restaurants. Fillets of big specimen of perch, s.c. "fillet perch" or "sea perch" from outer coastal waters were chosen for the study to find out the levels of mercury concentration in these desirable fish. The mean concentration of mercury in the dorsal muscle tissue (fillet) of big female "sea perch" from the coastal waters of Tvärminne Zoological Station was calculated to 0.22 (SD 0.08), range 0.08-0.43 mg/kg, f wt and for big female perch from the waters of Nåtö Biological Station to 0.18 (SD 0.07), range 0.07-0.30 mg/kg, f wt respectively. The results show a considerably lower mercury level in big "fillet perch" caught from the outer coastal waters in both Finland (and Estonia) compared with the levels recorded of big "fillet perch" from fresh water lakes and reservoirs. Thus, the common expression "sea perch" may also be used in the form "Baltic sea perch" meaning big healthy perch with low concentrations of mercury and caught from the outer coastal waters in S and SW Finland (and W Estonia) when marketing perch for human consumption.