Can traditional methods of selecting food accurately assess fish health

Indigenous peoples living in Canada’s north have long-valued the livers of Burbot (Lota lota) as a traditional food source; however, there has been concern relating to liver quality and potential contaminants. In this study, livers of Burbot collected in lower Mackenzie River were ranked using a traditional appearance-based assessment. These rankings were compared to a variety of biological and contaminant metrics. Livers ranked “most palatable” had a significantly higher mass and lipid content and were from younger fish with greater hepatosomatic index and total mass and had lower parasite intensities. There were no differences in the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants or metals, except copper, which although still well below consumption guidelines, was significantly higher in fish with livers that appeared most palatable. The results of this study demonstrated that traditional methods effectively assessed the quality of livers by selecting for the most nutritious (high lipid levels) and saf...