Baltic fish (such as Baltic herring, salmon, trout and lamprey) biomagnify dioxins and PCBs in the food chain; e.g. they constitute the largest exposure source of these compounds in the Finnish population. [2] These fish species often exceed the EU limits for dioxins and PCBs[3], but Finland and Sweden have a permanent derogation to sell these fish species on their national markets; Latvia has a derogation for salmon[4]. In contrast, Estonia deals with dioxins by selecting small Baltic herring with lower concentrations of pollutants for human consumption[5]. The EU has had a long-term objective of reducing human exposure to these pollutants. Emission standards for industry have become stricter during recent decades, and also concentration limits for food and feed have eliminated the most badly contaminated items from the market. Although average exposure has decreased to a fraction of previous values, there are still concerns about the health effects of dioxins, especially related to fatty fish from the Baltic Sea. The European Commission therefore asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to perform a risk assessment and derive an updated tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. The TWI was recently published, and it is seven times lower (2 pg/kg/week) than the previous value (14 pg/kg/week)[6]. Although previous benefit-risk assessments have been published about Baltic fish[7], there are no studies that would have compared several countries and examined the reasons and motivations for fish eating (or fish avoidance). The BONUS GOHERR project (2015-2018) evaluated the particular question about dioxins in Baltic salmon and herring and performed a health benefit-risk assessment, which is reported here. The project also studied biological, socioeconomic , cultural, and food security aspects of the dioxin problem associated with the Baltic salmon and herring fisheries and the governance of the dioxin problem.
Using fish resources for food supply in a sustainable and efficient way requires an examination of the feasibility of prioritising the use of forage species. The present paper deals with the issue from the consumer perspective. Using Baltic herring as a case study, the role of sociodemographic determinants, the drivers and barriers of Baltic herring consumption are investigated in four Baltic Sea countries, based on an internet survey. The drivers and barriers of Baltic herring consumption are compared to those relating to Baltic salmon, to identify the main differences in consumer perceptions on species that are primarily used as feed and food. The present paper concludes that prioritising forage species primarily for human consumption calls for proactive catch use governance, which (1) acknowledges the species-and country-specific intricacies of forage fish consumption, (2) improves the availability of safe-to-eat fish on the market, and (3) provides consumers with sufficient information on the species (e.g., the type of herring and its origin), the sustainability of the fisheries, and the related health risks and benefits.
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