ABSTRACT
Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) are the valuable fishes in Estonia inhabiting both brackish coastal sea and inland waterbodies. Due to low fat content and highly assimilable proteins, the flesh of these species are highly valued on domestic and export markets. The aim of this study was to get an overview of the occurrence of dioxins (PCDD, PCDF) and dioxin-like PCB-s (dl-PCB), in perch and pike-perch to assess if their quality meets the human consumption standards. The fish samples were collected from the Gulf of Riga, western Gulf of Finland and from the Peipsi Lake in 2003 and in 2013. The results revealed the higher content of dioxins and dl-PCB-s in older specimens and in fish inhabiting more enclosed sea areas. The content of dioxins and dioxin like PCB-s was always higher in perch. However, in all samples analysed, the content remained below the EU food safety limits.
