Concentrations of mercury and other trace elements in two offshore skates: sandy ray Leucoraja circularis and shagreen ray L. fullonica

Trace metal concentrations in muscle and liver tissues from two offshore species of skate were examined. Concentrations of mercury in muscle of Leucoraja circularis (n = 20; 23-110.5 cm total length, 157-490 m water depth) and L. fullonica (n = 24; 28.5-100 cm total length, 130-426 m water depth) were 0.02-1.8 and 0.04-0.61 mg kg− 1, respectively. Concentrations of both As and Hg increased with total length. Only the largest specimen had a concentration of Hg in muscle > 1.0 mg kg− 1. Data were limited for specimens > 90 cm long, and further studies on contaminants in larger-bodied skates could usefully be undertaken.