The Nassau Guardian
In a new study, researchers from the non-profit research institute Beneath the Waves (BTW) documented and revealed alarmingly high levels of 12 heavy metals, including mercury, in the muscle tissues of large reef and tiger sharks sampled throughout The Bahamas.
Published today in Scientific Reports, the new findings carry important implications for human health in the Greater Caribbean region, where sharks are occasionally consumed by humans.
Over the last century, human activities have rapidly accelerated the influx of metals and metalloids entering the marine environment, posing potential risks to biodiversity and food security.
Evaluating muscle tissues of 36 individual sharks from six species, the results from this study provide the first account of metal concentrations in sharks sampled in The Bahamas, a relatively pristine marine ecosystem where sharks live risk-free in a large marine protected area. Sharks are not commonly consumed by humans in The Bahamas. Read more >>