Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (JAMP). National Comments regarding the Norwegian Data for 2001

Abstract

This report is part of the Norwegian contribution to the SIME 2003 meeting administrated by OSPAR. JAMP 2001 included the monitoring of contaminants in blue mussels (40 stations) and cod or flatfish (23 stations) along the coast of Norway from Oslo to Bergen, Lofoten and Varangerfjord. The results indicated elevated levels of contaminants, i.e., poorer than Class I in SFT's classification system, or over provisional "high background", in the inner Oslofjord (PCBs, mercury and lead in cod PCBs in mussels), Langesundsfjord (HCB in mussels) and Sørfjord and Hardangerfjord (cadmium, lead, mercury and ppDDE in mussels and cod, and PCBs in cod). Significant upward trends were found for mercury in cod from the inner Oslofjord and mussels from the outer Sørfjord and a downward trend was found for cadmium in mussels from Sørfjord/Hardangerfjord. The results from the remaining stations showed low or moderate levels of contamination. The "Pollution" and "Reference" indices for fjord classified the respective groups of fjords as markedly (Cl.III) and moderately (Cl.II) polluted, the same as 2000. The results from studies using biological effects methods in cod (8 stations), flatfish (7 stations) and imposex/intersex in dogwhelks (8 stations) are discussed. Contamination of organotin in mussels and imposex in dogwhelks were still apparent, especially in the Haugesund area. Investigations of deep-water fish from Åkrafjord (reference) and Sørfjord are discussed.