Current Status: Not Impaired
Tainting of Fish and Wildlife Flavour is considered Not Impaired on the Canadian side of the St. Marys River Area of Concern. This BUI has never been considered impaired.
While many Areas of Concern have had to address contamination-related flavour issues in fish, studies showed that this was not a concern in the St. Marys River. Fish flavour and odour remain comparable to those found in healthy Great Lakes environments, indicating that pollution is not affecting the quality of fish for consumption from a taste and odour perspective.
This finding is one indicator of the overall environmental health of the St. Marys River and supports the continued recovery of the ecosystem.
What Is This BUI?
The Tainting of Fish and Wildlife Flavour BUI evaluates whether pollutants in the water or sediments cause fish or wildlife to develop unpleasant tastes or odours that make them undesirable for human consumption.
Some contaminants, particularly those associated with industrial discharges, wastewater, petroleum products, or certain organic compounds, can affect the flavour and smell of fish. In areas where tainting occurs, fish may have oily, chemical, muddy, or otherwise unpleasant flavours that can discourage people from consuming them.
This BUI focuses on the quality of the fish and wildlife as food, rather than their safety to eat. Fish can be safe for consumption but still be considered impaired under this BUI if contamination causes objectionable tastes or odours.
Why Was This BUI Evaluated?
When the St. Marys River was designated a Great Lakes Area of Concern, historical industrial and municipal activities had contributed contaminants to portions of the river. Because flavour tainting had been documented in some other Areas of Concern, it was important to determine whether fish and wildlife in the St. Marys River were experiencing similar issues.
Scientists conducted assessments to evaluate whether contamination was affecting the flavour or odour of fish caught within the Area of Concern.
The assessment included:
- Reviews of available environmental monitoring data.
- Evaluation of potential contaminant sources known to cause flavour tainting.
- Comparisons with conditions in other Great Lakes locations.
- Examination of available information related to fish quality and usability.
What Was Found?
Studies found no evidence that fish from the Canadian side of the St. Marys River exhibited contamination-related off-flavours or odours.
Researchers determined that:
- Fish flavour and odour were comparable to those from non-impaired locations.
- There were no known contamination sources causing flavour tainting.
- Environmental conditions did not affect the usability of fish for consumption due to taste or smell.
- The river did not exhibit the conditions typically associated with this impairment.
As a result, there was no evidence that fish flavour was being negatively affected by pollution within the Canadian Area of Concern.