Statistical analysis of the ICES cooperative monitoring programme data on contaminants in fish muscle tissue (1978-1985) for determination of temporal trends

This report is the first to be published by ICES on the results of its programme to explore the use of fish and shellfish to determine temporal trends in contaminant levels in the marine environment . Since 1986 the work on the analysis of temporal trends in contaminants in marine

organisms has been coordinated by the Working Group on the Statistical Aspects of Trend Monitoring, and individual members of this group have been responsible for the development of the statistical models used in this report and their subsequent application to the trend monitoring

data . I wish to express particular appreciation to Dr M.D. Nicholson (MAFF Fisheries Laboratory, Lowestoft, UK) for his work in developing the statistical procedures used here, and for conducting the analysis of the ICES data sets, and to Dr S. Wilson, ICES Secretariat, for his work in computer processing of the data, compilation of the statistical analyses and preparation of the plots, and organizing this report for publication.