Attawapiskat

[mark02]

Sad article in this week's NOW Magazine entitled "Mercury Mystery":

 

...

 

On the James Bay coast, another First Nations agency, the Mushkegowuk Environmental Research Centre, is issuing its own red alert. The agency has been sampling fish in the Albany and Attawapiskat Rivers and finding high levels of methyl mercury.

 

De Beer's Victor diamond mine on the Attiwapiskat, which started production in July 2008, has been a cause for concern, says Grand Chief Stan Louttit of the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents eight First Nations.

 

Ontario's Ministry of the Environment changed its fish consumption advisory for a stretch of the river near the mine - an important First Nations fishery - to four meals a month, from the previous eight.

 

In a 2007 submission to the MOE, Lean (professor of ecotoxicology at the University of Ottawa) warned that changes to proposed limits from the De Beers mine would bring mercury in the Attawapiskat River to unacceptable levels.

 

"A little mercury can go a long way," Lean says.

[solopaddler]

Sad article in this week's NOW Magazine entitled "Mercury Mystery":

 

...

 

On the James Bay coast, another First Nations agency, the Mushkegowuk Environmental Research Centre, is issuing its own red alert. The agency has been sampling fish in the Albany and Attawapiskat Rivers and finding high levels of methyl mercury.

 

De Beer's Victor diamond mine on the Attiwapiskat, which started production in July 2008, has been a cause for concern, says Grand Chief Stan Louttit of the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents eight First Nations.

 

Ontario's Ministry of the Environment changed its fish consumption advisory for a stretch of the river near the mine - an important First Nations fishery - to four meals a month, from the previous eight.

 

In a 2007 submission to the MOE, Lean (professor of ecotoxicology at the University of Ottawa) warned that changes to proposed limits from the De Beers mine would bring mercury in the Attawapiskat River to unacceptable levels.

 

"A little mercury can go a long way," Lean says.

 

 

I saw that myself. Very sad indeed and unfortunately a pretty common occurence in the north.

 

Fortunately the area I'll be fishing next month is far upstream.

[BillM]

Glad I don't eat fish.

[yakpiker]

I saw that myself. Very sad indeed and unfortunately a pretty common occurence in the north.

 

Fortunately the area I'll be fishing next month is far upstream.

 

Solo, can you provide more information? Are you referring to Eddie's location being upstream from this?

[solopaddler]

Solo, can you provide more information? Are you referring to Eddie's location being upstream from this?

 

There's tons of info on the web bud, I dredged this up in a second:

 

http://www.wildlandsleague.org/display.aspx?pid=231&cid=233

 

It's near the coast of James Bay and the village of Attawapiskat.

[yakpiker]

There's tons of info on the web bud, I dredged this up in a second:

 

http://www.wildlandsleague.org/display.aspx?pid=231&cid=233

 

It's near the coast of James Bay and the village of Attawapiskat.

 

Thanks bud, I'll take that as a yes (it is downstream from Eddie's).

[Moosebunk]

"But she says she was surprised by results from the nearby Albany River, which also led to a new advisory restricting consumption."

 

Thought of the Debeers mine and read Attawapiskat and Albany. The mine would have nothing to do with Albany's fish. That said, Attawapiskat's increases could be caused by other sources too... and not really just the mine as the main culprit. (or culprit at all) I think this smells fishy... kinda like Native politics. Alot of folks just have no idea what goes on up there...

 

That said, most if not all, James Bay lowlands walleye are found to have higher levels of mercury. It's all forest. It's huge rotting vegetation in muskeg.

 

I'll be in Attawapiskat on thursday, I'll ask my inlaws how they're liking their spring walleyes this year. Maybe they've switched to pike? Taste better anyways.