Contaminants in Fish - Office of the Environmental Monitor
Contaminants in Fish Monitoring Program |
| Fish can become contaminated when levels of metals and organic compounds that can pose a risk to the fish or public health, enter the food chain and accumulate in fish flesh. Most metals such as arsenic and nickel occur naturally in the rocks and soil found in Port Phillip Bay’s catchment. Human activities within the catchment such as agriculture, urban development and industry can lead to higher levels of metals ending up in the rivers and can also result in other metals and organic compounds to be recorded. Where present, the contaminants are in the main, bound to the sediment. This limits the extent to which they can dissolve in the water and enter the marine aquatic ecosystem. However, small amounts of contaminants may be taken up by fish and other marine organisms. During the assessment phase of the Project, the Port of Melbourne Corporation was required to examine sediments from the Yarra River for metals and organic compounds and consider any affects to human health and the Bay’s ecosystem. The assessment identified no likely health risk concerns for bay users as a result of dredging contaminated sediment (see the Minister for Planning’s Environmental Effects Assessment of the Channel Deepening Project at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au). The Channel Deepening Project’s rule book sets standards and controls to avoid and minimise the dispersal of contaminated sediment and the potential mobilisation of the contaminants. As an assurance that these standards and controls have been effective the Contaminants in Fish Monitoring Program will be conducted by EPA Victoria. It is one of nine Baywide Monitoring Programs. The program’s objective is to detect if the concentration of contaminants in fish tissue in the lower Yarra River after dredging of contaminated sediments is outside expected variability. Four fish species will be sampled approximately three months after the dredging of contaminated sediment from the Yarra and Williamstown Rivers channel area, is complete. For more information on the Fish Stock and Recruitment Monitoring Program please download the fact sheet. |
Results |
| Fish sampling will be carried out approximately three months after the dredging of contaminated sediment from the Yarra and Williamstown Rivers channel area, is complete. Results will follow. |
| To view information and results from the other program that monitors contaminants in fish click on the link below. |
| Victorian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program |
| Return to a list of all monitoring programs |
