Fish Program
The Fish Program assesses contaminants in aquatic habitats. Its focus is on examining exposure and effects of pollutants on plants and animals in lakes, rivers and oceans, by using fish and other aquatic organisms as indicators.
Program Director
Freshwater Fish
Oksana Piterman Lane
207. 839.7600, ext. 106
Marine Fish
David Evers
207.839.7600, ext. 110
Program Goals
Freshwater
- Monitoring mercury exposure in fish and crayfish to detect changes and trends over time
Marine
- Determine mercury exposure in marine species at greatest risk
- Identify global biological mercury hotspots
- Link findings with human and ecological health needs
Current BRI Projects
Freshwater
- Long-term monitoring of fish tissue in Moore and Comerford Development Reservoirs, on the Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Vermont
- Long-term monitoring of mercury in yellow perch in Maine Reservoirs
- Northeastern Ecosystem Research Cooperative (NERC) Project
- Investigating mercury loads in fish, invertebrates and piscivorous birds in the Androscoggin Lake, 2001-2003
Marine
- Investigating mercury levels in Sharks
- Monitoring contaminant levels in goliath grouper
Geographic Focus
Freshwater
- New England
- New York
- Hiwassee River, Tennessee
Marine
- Caribbean Sea
- Atlantic Ocean
- Hawaiian Islands
Recent Reports, Papers and Presentations
Freshwater
- Lane, O.P., D.C. Evers, and K. A. Warner. 2007. An exploratory investigation of environmental mercury levels at an operating chlor-alkali plant on the Hiwassee River, Tennessee. BRI Report 2007-05 submitted to Oceana. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. pdf
- Pennuto, C. M., O. P. Lane, D. C. Evers, R. J. Taylor, and J. Loukmas. 2005. Mercury in the Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Hagen), in New England, USA. Ecotoxicology, 14, 149-162. pdf
- Evers, D.C. and O. P. Lane. 2004. Androscoggin Lake Wildlife Risk Assessment: 2001-03 Comprehensive Report. Report BRI 2004-02. Submitted to Maine Dept. Environ. Protection. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. pdf
- Evers, D.C. and O. P. Lane. 2003. Long-term monitoring of mercury in fish tissue at Moore and Comerford Development Reservoirs, 2003. Submitted to US Gen New England, Inc. pdf
Marine
- Evers, D.C., N. Hammerschlag & D. Die. 2008. Mercury levels in Florida sharks: Interim Report. Report BRI 2008-02, BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine.pdf
- Evers, D.C 2008. Assessing the global threat of mercury: A case study of the Mesoamerican Reef -with preliminary findings for sharks and groupers. Report BRI 2008-02. Submitted to Henry Foundation. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. pdf
- Evers, D.C., R.T. Graham, C.R. Perkins, and R. Michener. Mercury contamination of Goliath grouper in Southern Belize, implications for coastal consumers. Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. POSTER pdf
- Evers, D.C., R.T. Graham. and C.R. Perkins. Shark mercury levels in Belize. American Society of Limnologists and Oceanographers. Orlando, FL. POSTER pdf
