FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 74, NO. 4 



Munns (1972). Final quantitation was by flameless 

 spectroscopy using a Perkin-Elmer Model 403 

 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. 



Results are stated in parts per million wet 

 weight. All samples were analyzed in duplicate 

 and where the deviation for replicates exceeded 

 ±0.05 ppm, the analyses were repeated. Control 

 samples of known value were analyzed routinely to 

 verify both accuracy and precision of the method. 



RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



A total of 692 sablefish taken from the Bering 

 Sea and coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean from 

 Kodiak Island, Alaska, to San Diego, Calif., were 

 analyzed for individual mercury content. The 

 specific locations of catch and the mean mercury 

 levels by area are shown in Figure 1. The mean 

 mercury levels show a general increase from north 

 to south, as does the percentage of fish that exceed 

 the FDA action level of 0.50 ppm (Table 1). 



Table 1.— Summary of mercury concentration in sablefish. 



Effect of the Geographical Location 



The fish caught in the Bering Sea and in the 

 vicinity of Kodiak Island were all small (less than 3 

 pounds [1.4 kg]) and contained very low levels of 



Chichogof island 

 Baranof Island 



Betim Conal 



Neoh Bay 



Long Beoct> 

 Tillamook Heod 

 Cope Lookout 



N. CALIFORNIA 026 } Eureko 



Fori Bragg 



C. CALIFORNIA 0.47 



S. CALIFORNIA 0.60 



Sonta Cruz 

 Po<nt Sal 



Figure 1.— Mean mercury levels (parts per million) in sablefish by area and the specific locations of the catches. 



792 



