Great Lakes and inland sport fish consumption by licensed anglers in two Ontario communities

Risk assessments for potential health effects associated with consumption of contaminated Great Lakes (GL) sport fish (SF) rely heavily on estimated human consumption and preparation practices. The mid-1990s study reported here used a two stage sampling approach based on selection of high GL fish consumers among licensed Ontario anglers. Mean GL fish consumption (meals/year), meal size (g/meal) and estimated gram/day in two Ontario GL communities were: 34.2, 186.1, and 19.9 in Cornwall and 10.9, 331.9, and 12.3 in Mississauga respectively, in the same range as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates used in the development of water quality criteria. Yet different species preferences, awareness of advisories and other sport and commercial fish consumption by participating anglers have implications for overall contaminant intake, suggesting the continued need for site-specific consumption surveys.