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Recreational fisheries represent a $1.7 billion/year industry to Texas, with over 1.2 million saltwater anglers in 2006. The majority of these anglers consume their catch. In July 2008, the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) issued a fish consumption advisory in Galveston Bay, Texas due to elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenxofurans (PCDFs) in spotted seatrout and all catfish species. This advisory is alarming, as there is very little information on the contaminant levels for routinely consumed fishes captured by commercial and recreational anglers in the Coastal Bend region of Texas. Thus, the goal of this study was to quantify contaminant loads (mercury, PCBs, and PCDDs/PCDFs) in black drum (Pogonias cromis), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), and red drum commonly referred to as redfish (Sciaenops ocellatus) fish tissues from the Laguna Madre, Corpus Christi, and Aransas Bay complexes.

Total Mercury We analyzed a total of 49 fish for total mercury analysis and found generally low concentration levels among all bays and species. However, the 5 fish collected from the surf zone had a mean concentration (mean= 1.02 mg/kg±0.18 SE) above the reported 0.7 mg/kg threshold level set by the TDSHS, and was significantly greater than all other bays. We also found a significant relationship between total length and total mercury concentration showing increased contaminant level with larger specimens.