Beneficial Use Impairment #1
BUI #1 - Fish consumption
Status - Impaired - in specific areas of the Bay
Although fish and wildlife consumption is currently impaired.
Fish in the Bay of Quinte are safe to eat.
When the bay is compared overall to other Lake Ontario reference sites, there are fewer restrictions on fish consumption in the Bay.
All of the fishing zones in the Bay of Quinte are meeting or exceeding the reference levels with one exception. The one hotspot that remains is the Trent River mouth and only larger size bullheads are not meeting maximum consumption guidelines of eight meals per month. They are safe to eat.
In order to re-designate the BUI, the consumption levels in all Bay of Quinte fish need to be at the same levels as the reference sites in Lake Ontario.
Specific consumption levels can be found in the Guide to Eating Ontario Fish published by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Today, the Bay of Quinte supports a world-class walleye and bass fishery providing this region with numerous economic benefits.
Criteria and Supporting Evidence
Each BUI has specific criteria that must be met before its status can be changed to unimpaired
1. Fish consumption restrictions in the
upper and middle bays are comparable to the least restrictive of Lake Ontario
reference zones 6 and 8 as defined in the Guide to Eating Ontario Sport fish - Not Impaired |
2. When contaminant levels in brown
bullhead and yellow perch (or a similar sentinel species) collected in the
Trent River mouth and at the Belleville waterfront near established sources of
contamination result in the same consumption limits as the general population
for these fish in the upper bay. Impaired - Not met at the Trent River mouth. |
Species consumption levels are available at: