by DILLON DE SHONG
Trinidad & Tobago (LoopNews) – Shark meat is becoming an increasingly popular fish protein throughout the Caribbean as sightings of the apex predator near some islands such as St Kitts, Montserrat and Antigua are growing.
Since the attack of American student Brook Toussaint near Booby Island, earlier this month, fishermen in St Kitts and Nevis have increased their catch of sharks.
But you may want to take a rain check on that Bake and Shark, Curried shark and dumplings or a warm bowl of fish tea because a new study by the non-profit research institute Beneath the Waves (BTW), documented and revealed alarmingly high levels of 12 heavy metals, including mercury, in the muscle tissues of large reef and tiger sharks sampled throughout The Bahamas.
Loop News spoke with Jamie Fitzgerald, General Operations Manager of BTW, who said the findings of the study was alarming given the pristine condition of the ocean surrounding the Bahamian islands.
“The fact that there is still the presence of heavy metals is a really important connection to the entire global ecosystem,” Fitzgerald said as she noted their study has not looked at the source of toxic metals.
