Lobster Contaminants

Title

Screening the Levels of Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Chromium, Zinc, Mercury, and Thallium in the Traditional Food-Lobster of Eel River Bar First Nation

Description

The purpose of this project was to examine the concentrations of heavy metal contaminants: cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury as well as chromium, thallium and zinc within the lobster traditionally consumed by the Mi’gmaq of Eel River Bar, New Brunswick.

A total of 44 lobsters we tested, where 22 were cooked and 22 were raw. Due to high laboratory analysis costs, a decision was made to test both lobster meat and tomalley together for each lobster.

The mean concentrations for all 44 lobsters were found to be lower than the maximum allowed levels according to International standards for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. However, when observing the levels of heavy metals in individual lobsters, five (5) lobster had levels of cadmium that were in excess of its respecting International standard of 0.5 mg/kg set by the Commission of the European Communities. There were no International standards identified for chromium, thallium and zinc in lobster. There was no observed correlation on the concentrations of heavy metals between raw and cooked lobster.

Project Details

Year: 2011-2012
Status: Complete
Project Funding Source: Health Canada – RFNCP

Files:

Lobster Contaminants Brochure

Project Updates

Build it and they will come – GINU Habitat Restoration

August 31, 2023

Thermographs

August 29, 2023

The Gespe’gewa’gi Institute of Natural Understanding (GINU) annually deploys thermographs in several rivers in Quebec and New Brunswick. These small temperature loggers are anchored to the riverbed in 20 to 30 different locations throughout the Restigouche River Watershed.

Our team replaces the thermographs twice a year, to change their batteries and download their information. As climate change concerns increase, the importance of this research grows in importance.

“It is important to know what is going on with our river system. The water is warming up. Climate change has an impact on everything in the river and monitoring changes over time will help us make well informed decisions,” explained GINU biologist Billie Chiasson.

The data collected is shared with a network group comprised of universities, federal and provincial agencies, and watershed groups. This information is shared in a centralized database called Rivtemp. GINU has been conducting water temperature research since 2014 and will continue to monitor the river temperatures on our territory.

Water Chemistry Sampling

August 16, 2023

Staff from the Gespe’gewa’gi Institute of Natural Understanding (GINU) conducted water chemistry sampling on the lower Restigouche River. This research project started in early April and is ending in June. Sampling took place once a week near Flatlands.

The goal of this research initiative is to track the water chemistry before and after the smolt run. GINU Research Director, Dr. Carole-Anne Gillis and collaborators are going to keep a close eye on the levels of aluminum in the river. “We are getting a baseline of the aluminum levels in the river and how it will affect the Atlantic salmon,” Dr. Gillis explained. “Aluminum is a metal that is present in the rivers naturally but can also be due to human activity. Aluminum can bind on the gills of the fish and makes it difficult for them to smoltify and adapt to saltwater.”

This is the second year GINU has been collecting this information from the river. It will help us determine how the environment is changing over time.

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