National_Aquatic_Specimen_Bank_Holdings.csv (English)

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Publisher-reported update

2026-08-19

The Fish Contaminants Monitoring Program (FCMP) was initiated in 1976. The objective is to collect a variety of biological samples in freshwater environments for the purpose of determining ecosystem contaminant levels. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) collects biological samples from a number of lakes and rivers across Canada in support of federally mandated programs. ECCC has collected fish and invertebrates from the Great Lakes since 1976 in support of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). More recently, samples have been collected nationally to support Canada's Chemicals Management Plan and the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda. ECCC also maintains a specimen bank of frozen tissues which is a requirement of the GLWQA and is an integral part of departmental monitoring and research programs. The National Aquatic Biological Specimen Bank (NABSB) is located in a dedicated facility at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington, Ontario. The primary indicator species for the FCMP are top predator fish such as Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), and walleye (Sander vitreus) which integrate contaminants in the pelagic ecosystem over space and time. In the Great…

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