Fróðskaparrit - 01.07.2004, Page 120

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MERCURY IN THE FAROE ISLANDS — A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE DATA
(Riget et al., 2003) revealed 0,34 mg/kg
and 0,26 mg/kg in two colonies sampled in
1999 (Ittoqqortoormiit, n=10) and 2000
(Qeqertarsuaq, n=7) respectively. The
mean mercury concentration in black
guillemot eggs from three colonies in Arc-
tic Canada in 1993 and 1998, were shown
to be somewhat higher than the Greenland
eggs at 0,39 mg/kg to 0,60 mg/kg (Braune
et al., 2002). Thus it appears that the mer-
cury concentration in the Faroese black
guillemot eggs (Table 14) are within the
range defíned by the Greenland birds in the
low end and those from Arctic Canada in
the higher.
Marine mammals
Long-finned pilot whale
The long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala
melas, was taken in the local Faroese drive
hunt in a number of approx. 1000 individu-
als per year during the last decade, but the
annual catch is highly variable, from 500 to
2500 individuals (Bloch, 2004). The annu-
al harvest which in the years 2000 and 2001
were 588 and 918 respectively, provided a
pro persona annual meat amount of 5 kg
and with this, 4,5 kg of blubber (Mikkelsen
et al., 2002). The long-finned pilot whale
have provided valued addition of meat and
blubber to the Faroese diet for centuries
(Bloch, 2004), a tradition which has be-
come threatened in recent times by the high
concentrations of mercury and persistent
organic pollutants and their adverse effects
on child development (Grandjean et al.,
1992; 1995a; 1995b; 1997).
The first dietary advice issued by the
Health Authorities on the Faroe Islands on
pilot whale consumption, was given in
1977, and then the message was to warn
against eating whale liver due to high mer-
cury concentrations (Fig. 14) which had
been found in concentration up to 270
mg/kg liver (HS Annual Report 1976/78).
But also whale meat was then known to
contain mercury at concentrations of con-
cern (Fig. 15) and the general advice was to
abstain from whale liver, and only eat
whale meat once a week (HS Annual Re-
port 1976/78).
Ten years later the advice was tightened
so as to suggest that whale dinners were
limited to once or twice a month (HS,
1989).
And finally, in 1998, the dietary advice
was far more restrictive, now pertaining to
blubber as well as meat and entrails and this
time the language in the advice was to ad-
vice female in reproductive age and girls to
abstain from eating blubber where high
Fig. 14 Mercury in long-fmned
pilot whale livers. The mean
mercury for the sample pool is
shown, in mg/kg ww liver. (HS
Ársfrág. 1976/78= HS Annual
Report1976/78; HS Joumal-
urin =HS journal 1979-87 and
1987-89).
▲ HS Ársfrá. 1976/78 og HS Journalurin ■ Julshamn etal., 1987 ■ Caurant et al.. 1993
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