A recent study conducted by Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment has found that mercury levels in fish stocks from the waters around Grassy Narrows First Nation have been declining steadily between 1989 and 2014. The data was collected from Indian Lake, which is part of the English River watershed, as well as other water bodies in the area, and the findings were recently shared with the Grassy Narrows band council at a meeting in Winnipeg last week.

“These results are consistent with earlier data that has shown mercury levels in fish in decline and further evidence the lake is recovering,” confirmed Environment Ministry representative Kate Jordan. “The ministry is in the process of updating our consumption advice for fish in Indian Lake and the upcoming 2015 version of the consumption guide will contain this new information. While consumption advisories will still be in place for fish from Indian Lake, the advice will be less restrictive for many fish species including, walleye, whitefish, northern pike and white sucker.”

Data from the 2014 sampling showing the decrease in mercury levels included whitefish at the 35cm length containing 0.08 micrograms per gram (ug/g) compared to 0.18 in 1989. The difference in 50-cm legnth whitefish was slight — 0.20 ug/g in 2014 from 0.21 in 1989. The comparison for northern pike is 0.79 in 1989 and 0.35 in 2014 in a 50-cm fish and 1.35 in 1989 and 0.75 in 2014 in a 65-cm fish.

Jordan noted as a result, this year’s fish consumption guide will include less restrictive consumption advice. For example, a northern pike at a length of 35 cm will go from zero meals per month advised to four and whitefish at the same length will go from eight meals per month advised to 12.

Grassy Narrows has been struggling with mercury contamination caused by a now-closed paper mill for decades, so news that the fish are recovering is welcome news to long-time band councilor Randy Fobister.

“They’re saying there is still mercury in the fish, but it’s in decline. That really good news. Our chief (Roger Fobister Sr.) has invited the Ministry of Natural Resources to come and do a presentation on it,” said Fobister.

While progress is being made at getting mercury out of the local fish stocks, Fobister said all of that could be undone if logging in the Whiskey Jack Forest goes ahead as it is planned to once the new forestry plan comes into effect on April 1.

Last month, the province turned down a request by the First Nation for an Independent Environmental Assessment into whether logging in the area would release more mercury into the water and contaminate the fish. To back up their concerns the band pointed to an analysis of two scientific studies (one conducted in Canada and the other in Sweden) on the effect of forestry operations on mercury levels in aquatic wildlife which was published in the Journal of the Human Environment in 2009.

While the analysis determined the effect of forestry on mercury is dependent on the amount of runoff, there is a clear indication that forestry operations can release mercury into watersheds where it can accumulate in fish. The province has made assurances that practices will be put in place to disturb the soil as little as possible.

Fobister said that if mercury contained on land is released back into the water it will destroy any possibility of the environment fully recovering and possible plans to use fish stocks commercially in the future

“The mercury is still there and it’s going to be for a long time. It’s good that the mercury is declining, but think how good it will be in 50 years or even 100 years if there is no logging,” he said. “Our fish will be healthy again and we can start selling pickerel. I think that should be our focus … that would be a sustainable form of economic development, it’s what we’re good at.”

The community is not giving up on getting an environmental assessment to investigate the impacts of forestry on mercury levels in their area. According to Fobister, an application has been made to the federal level for them to do an assessment instead of the Ontario government.