Spatial and long-term trends in persistent organic contaminants and metals in lake trout and burbot from the Northwest Territories

i.Continue to investigate trends in mercury (and metals) in lake trout fillet harvested from two locations (West Basin near Hay River, East Arm at Lutsel Ke) and burbot fillet harvested from one location (West Basin at Fort Resolution) in Great Slave Lake to further extend our long-term (1993-2020) database. ii.As circumstances allow, continue our mercury trend monitoring of burbot fillet at Lutsel Ke and northern pike fillet at Fort Resolution. iii.Continue to investigate trends in persistent organic contaminant concentrations (POCs) in lake trout (Hay River, Lutsel Ke) fillet and burbot (Fort Resolution) liver to further extend our long-term (1993-2019) database. iv.Participate in and contribute information to AMAP expert work groups for trend monitoring of POCs and mercury and ECCCs Climate Change and Air Pollution (CCAP) and Chemical Management Plan (CMP) programs. v.Communicate results to Great Slave Lake partners and other communities and organizations in a timely manner. As part of this, contribute where requested, to local community-based monitoring programs. vi.Continue to compile mercury data in fish in NWT lakes, primarily in the Mackenzie River Basin, to provide an updated assessment from Lockhart et al. (2005). Temporal trends will be assessed where lake and river data allow. vii.Continue other collaborations including with X. Zhu with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in his fish stock assessment studies in western Great Slave Lake.