IMIS - Marine Research Groups

Sampling of fish takes place in the central area of ​​the Westerschelde, defined as the area between the plate Hooge Springer and the Biezelingse Ham. It is intended that there are 80 male flounders (externally assessed as healthy) caught with a length distribution between 20 and 35 cm. These flounders are further analyzed by the Dutch Institute for Fisheries Research, IJmuiden: determination of moisture and mercury content in muscle tissue, determination of cadmium, moisture and fat in liver tissue, determination of PCB, HCB, moisture and fat content in liver tissue and determination of blood metabolites. Sampling of mussels occurs in the eastern part of the Westerschelde once a year, in the middle of October. In the field, mussels are collected, and divided into five size classes between 25 and 70 mm. From the collected mussels, the length, the weight of the shell, moisture, mercury, lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, nickel PAHs (15), and PCB (28), pesticides and fat is determined.