A report has been published from Matís ohf. which is called Undesirable substances in seafood products - results from the Icelandic marine monitoring activities.
The report, which can be found here, shows the results of measurements of the amount of toxic pollutants in Icelandic seafood in 2008 and is part of a continuous monitoring project funded by the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and has been ongoing since 2003. As in previous years of monitoring, the results of 2008 show that an edible part of fish caught in Icelandic waters contains very small amounts of organic pollutants such as dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and pesticides (insecticides and plant toxins), compared to the maximums recognized by European countries. Oil and meal made from blue whiting, however, must be close to or exceed the permissible limits for certain substances. Cod liver can also exceed the permitted limits.
The data collected year after year in this project is used to build an increasingly accurate database on the state of Icelandic marine products with regard to pollutants. The report is in English and is accessible on Matís' website so that it can be used by producers, exporters, the government and others to promote the safety and wholesomeness of Icelandic fish products.
The results of measurements of cod liver, fishmeal and fish oil for feed preparation confirm the need to closely monitor the levels of persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins, PCBs and pesticides in these products in the spring. The concentration of the substances depends on the nutritional status of the pelagic fish stocks from which the products are processed and reaches its peak during the spawning season. The levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs as well as individual pesticides stop exceeding the EU's permitted levels. This is especially true for blue whiting products.
A graphical presentation of the results of the monitoring project can be accessed on Matís' website via the link "Icelandic seafood - clean and unpolluted“.
The authors of the report are Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir, Katrín Hauksdóttir, Natasa Desnica and Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir. The project manager is Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, who provides further information, helga.gunnlaugsdottir@matis.is.