This is a report prepared by Greg Scherzer about Long Lost Lake fish and Hg levels.

The White Earth Natural Resource Department released a fish consumption guide and Long Lost Lake had some restrictions. Several years ago White Earth fisheries people collected fish for mercury sampling, I assume that is what the restriction numbers are based on. I have contacted the tribe for more information for the fall meeting. The following restriction information was in the August 4, 2004 Anishinaabeg Today (White Earth Tribal Newspaper):

Definitions:

Subsistence Diet: Year-around utilization of a food source.

Seasonal Diet: Three-month period of higher consumption of fish.

Group 1: Pregnant women or women of child bearing age and children under the age of 15.

Group 2: A 130-pound or larger adult.

Group 3: A 180-pound or larger adult.

In a discussion with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Research Laboratory in Cass Lake. The following factors were determined.

1. The Weight of fish is a wet weight not cooked weight.
2. The increased mercury is caused by the rising waters coming into elemental mercury in the soils they are flooding. The mercury is then methylated and begins to bio-accumulate in predatory species.
3. Increased mercury levels in fish well documented in new reservoirs
4. Fish with a 20 PPB level of mercury triggers advisories. LLL fish had as much as 1,500 PPB in them.
5. 200 PPB level causes human illnesses. The EPA protects humans to 5.0 PPB
6. Therefore a 1 lb fish with 1,000 PPB will give a 200 lb human ~ 5 PPB in the human.