Final answer:
Humans can get sick from predatory fish due to the accumulation of mercury and other toxins in their bodies - a phenomenon known as biomagnification. This issue is especially prevalent in aquatic ecosystems, and it has been studied extensively in species such as walleye. Due to these risks, certain individuals like pregnant women and young children are advised to avoid consuming certain types of fish known to contain high mercury content.
Step-by-step explanation:
Humans most commonly get sick from predatory fish due to the accumulation of toxins such as mercury, lead, and other substances that biomagnify in the bodies of these fish. This phenomenon is a prime example of biomagnification, a process that takes place particularly in aquatic ecosystems where fish species at different trophic levels accumulate toxic substances present at low concentrations in the environment.
Substances that biomagnify include Mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and heavy metals like lead, and cadmium. These substances have been traced in several studies, like the one performed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron, where higher concentrations of these toxins were found in predatory fish.
Notably, it's cautioned that pregnant women and young children avoid consuming certain types of fish, like swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish due to their high mercury content. This illustrates how ecosystem dynamics can even influence the food we eat and impact our health.
Learn more about Biomagnification