Fish Consumption Patterns of Populations in Vicinities of Lake Kastoria and Lake Pamvotis, Greece

Virginia Journal of Science Volume 56 Number 3 Fall 2005 Fish Consumption Patterns of Populations in Vicinities of Lake Kastoria and Lake Pamvotis, Greece Eugene G. Maurakis, 1,2,3 David V. Grimes,4 and Dimitra Bobori 5 lScience Museum ofVirginia, 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 24542 2School of Continuing Studies, University of Richmond, VA 23173 3School of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, 4Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 4949 A Cox road, Glen Allen, VA 23060 5Department of Biology, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece 54006. ABSTRACT Objectives are to establish fish consumption patterns of populations in vicinities of two lakes (Kastoria and Pamvotis) in Greece for use in the assessment of risks associated with consumption of fishes in these agrichemically impaired lakes. Parameters measured were demographics (i.e., gender, age, weight, education level, occupation, residency), freshwater fish eating frequency, species and sizes of fishes consumed, and fish consumption habits [i.e., quantity, parts, and preparation method). All annual mean sitespecific consumption rates of the four gender-age class sub-populations surveyed in vicinity of Lake Kastoria (avg.range= 0.103-0.29 kg/day) exceed those of Greece (0.066 kg/day), EU (0.068 kg/day), Spain (0.104 kg/day), Portugal (0.159 kg/day), and the USEPA default value (0.054 kg/day) with two exceptions. Female consumption rates (0.087-0.103 kg/day) of Perea fluviatilis were below annual consumption rates of Spain and Portugal. Similarly, annual mean site-specific consumption rates of Anguilla anguilla and Cyprinus carpio by male (0.199-0.210 kg/day) and female adults (0.0960.157 kg/day) in vicinity of Lake Pamvotis exceeded those of Greece, EU, Spain, Portugal, and the USEP A default value. Survey results indicate bettereducated Greeks to be higher consumers offish; however, market availability appears to be a stronger determinant of food choice in comparison to health education. All populations in vicinities of both lakes preferred to eat fried fishes with one exception: grilled C. carpio from Lake Pamvotis was preferred by female and male adults.