Explanation of Indicator
Since World War II there has been a global trend of rising mercury levels in the environment. Mercury has been found to bioaccumulate in the tissues of aquatic animals. As these animals are consumed, the predator absorbs the mercury. High mercury concentrations have been linked to the deaths of three panthers in south Florida.

Rising environmental mercury concentrations may result in rising mercury concentrations in species toward the bottom of the coastal food chain (e.g., fish, invertebrates). As predation occurs these elevated mercury concentrations will proceed up the food chain and may have negative impacts on animals feeding in the aquatic food chain. Increases in the number of consumption advisories may indicate increased environmental degradation in coastal counties. Rising concentrations of mercury in fish may be a major contributing factor in declines in wading bird, otter, and mink populations.

The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have announced health advisories urging limited or no consumption of fish from a number of waters in Florida. The advisories stem from field and laboratory investigations completed since 1989. Waterbodies are put on the “no consumption” list when the inhabiting species average above 1.5 ppm mercury, and they are listed on the “limited consumption” list when species average above .5 ppm mercury.

Data Characteristics
SOURCE
These data can be obtained by contacting Dr. Thomas Atkeson, Mercury Coordinator, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400, or at (904) 921-0884.

ACQUISITION
The data can be obtained in hard copy or on disk at no cost.

COLLECTION
These data are cumulative since 1982.

Data Limitations
Once a waterbody is placed under a fish consumption advisory, it remains there indefinitely. In addition, data are not listed by the date the waterbody was added to the list, so previous trends cannot be established.

Data Analysis
There is a "no consumption advisory" for three waterbodies in Florida, one of them being the Everglades. There is a “limited fish consumption advisory” in 36 waterbodies in Florida’s coastal counties. Waterbodies include lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks.

Recommendations
These data are useful as a benchmark. The number of waterbodies added to the list each year will be a direct indicator of increasing environmental concentrations of mercury.