Reducing Risks to the Anishinaabe from Methylmercury GLIFWC’s Mercury Program Matt Hudson Environmental Biologist Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC)

GLIFWC Mission Assist member bands in the implementation of off-reservation harvest seasons Assist member bands in the implementation of off-reservation harvest seasons Protect treaty rights and natural resources Protect treaty rights and natural resources GLIFWC provides GLIFWC provides natural resource management expertise natural resource management expertise conservation enforcement conservation enforcement legal and policy analysis legal and policy analysis public information services public information services

Tribal Walleye Harvesting SpearingNetting

Inland Lake Walleye Harvest – 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territory

Mercury and fish consumption Major route for human exposure to mercury Major route for human exposure to mercury Walleye top predator fish that often contain elevated levels of mercury Walleye top predator fish that often contain elevated levels of mercury Algae Zooplankton Fish People

Fish is a healthy and culturally important food source Fish is a healthy and culturally important food source Other available consumption advisories don’t typically consider cultural aspects of fish consumption Other available consumption advisories don’t typically consider cultural aspects of fish consumption Challenge is maximizing health and cultural benefits while minimizing risks Challenge is maximizing health and cultural benefits while minimizing risks Mercury and fish consumption

To develop, implement, evaluate, and document a comprehensive, systematic, and culturally-sensitive intervention program to reduce risks associated with subsistence based consumption of methylmercury contaminated fish. To develop, implement, evaluate, and document a comprehensive, systematic, and culturally-sensitive intervention program to reduce risks associated with subsistence based consumption of methylmercury contaminated fish. GLIFWC’s Mercury Program Goal

GLIFWC’s Mercury Program Main Focus Main Focus Mercury data collection (since 1989) Mercury data collection (since 1989) Outreach through consumption advisory maps (since 1996) Outreach through consumption advisory maps (since 1996) In Addition – Collect information to inform and improve consumption advisory process In Addition – Collect information to inform and improve consumption advisory process Fish consumption study Fish consumption study Science-based advisory methodology Science-based advisory methodology Targeted intervention Targeted intervention Evaluate intervention Evaluate intervention Trend and Risk Analyses Trend and Risk Analyses

Walleye Samples Collected by GLIFWC for Mercury Testing by Year (Inland Lakes)

Walleye Advisory Maps

Walleye Consumption by GLIFWC- Member Tribes

Intervention Program Focus Fish Harvesters Fish Harvesters WI Women of Childbearing Age and Children WI Women of Childbearing Age and ChildrenApproach Tribal Leaders Tribal Leaders GLIFWC Wardens GLIFWC Wardens Elders Elders Broad Dissemination of Maps Broad Dissemination of Maps Evaluate effectiveness Pre-intervention surveys Pre-intervention surveys Post-intervention surveys Post-intervention surveys

How Effective Was Our Intervention? Awareness of maps increased in all surveyed groups Concern about mercury in fish increased Preference for smaller walleye increased Harvesters were labeling fillet bags with lake name Few using maps to choose lakes for harvest Tribal lifeways not affected by advisory program

Other Ways We are Using Mercury Program Data

Mercury Concentrations in Walleye in Northern WI Declining Over Time

Estimating Mercury Exposure to Tribal Fish Harvesters Probabalistic Risk Assessment – Lifeline Software Harvest DataMercury Data Consumption Data Mercury Exposure Risk Analysis

Acknowledgements Adam DeWeese, Former Environmental Biologist, GLIFWC Neil Kmiecik, Biological Services Director, GLIWFC Jeffery Foran, Ph.D., EHSI LLC ATSDR and EPA for funding