MERCURY IN NORTHERN QUEBEC - ROLE OF THE MERCURY AGREEMENT AND STATUSOF RESEARCH AND MONITORING

In order to determine the nature and extent of the problem caused by t he presence of mercury in the environment of the James Bay territory a Mercury Agreement was signed in 1986 jointly by the Crees, the Govern ment of Quebec and Hydro-Quebec. The objectives were to minimize poten tial hazards to human health arising from the presence of mercury in t he environment, to alleviate negative impacts on the Crees, their way of life and their harvesting activities and to provide for remedial me asures. Monitoring of mercury concentrations in fish show that, 15 yea rs after impounding of La Grande-2 reservoir, the concentrations remai n higher in reservoirs than in natural lakes but they are now deceasin g in both predatory (Northern pike) and non-predatory (Whitefish) fish es. Monitoring of the mercury exposure among the Crees showed that con centrations in hair have decreased and are now stabilized, for most of the population, to concentrations that do not present a health risk. This decrease may be attributed to a reduction in fish consumption and /or a possible switch of the diet towards non-piscivorous fish, less c ontaminated by mercury.