Table 5. — Comparison of total mercury content (ppm) of dorsal muscle tissue from swordfish by sex and by area. 



major proportion of the diet of swordfish in that 

 particular area (Scott and Tibbo, 1974). This is espe- 

 cially true for fish larger than 160 cm, possibly be- 

 cause such fish feed deeper (Beckett, 1973). Squid, 

 the other relatively mercury-rich food species, also 

 appear to be more important in the diet of swordfish 

 from area E than from elsewhere, with the exception 

 of the adjacent part of area D (Scott and Tibbo, 

 1974). 



Mercury analyses are currently not available for 

 stomach contents of swordfish taken from area A, 

 while for area B data are insufficient for comment. 



Other Species 



The mercury content of the dorsal muscle of 12 

 other pelagic species (Table 2) was all high with the 



Table 6. — Total mercury content (ppm) of selected sword- 

 fish tissues. 



Table 7. — Total mercury content (ppm) of selected tissues as percentage of total mercury content of the 

 dorsal muscle tissues. (Number of samples given in parentheses.) 



158 



