EEL (ANGUILLA-ANGUILLA) AND BROWN TROUT (SALMO-TRUTTA) TARGET SPECIESTO ASSESS THE BIOLOGICAL IMPACT OF TRACE-METAL POLLUTION IN FRESH-WATER ECOSYSTEMS

Copper, lead, and cadmium pollution were measured in water and sedimen ts of two Northern Spanish rivers: Piles and Piguena. Liver contents o f these heavy metals were analyzed in two fish species (eel, Anguilla anguilla, and brown trout, Salmo trutta) collected from the same locat ions. Significant levels of heavy metal pollution were found in a 38% of fish that are potential catches for sport fishermen. The results in dicate that adult eel could be a good metal bioindicator if sampled at a homogenous age. In contrast, brown trout could be considered as a b ioindicator only during the first year of life.