Proceedings of the International Cyanide Detection Testing Workshop

tested in 2004 had cyanide present (Rubec, personal comm.). Several alternative methods to
detect cyanide in marine fi shes have been published, but none of these have been applied to
date as an enforcement tool. Conservation groups have also attempted to reestablish networks
of CDT laboratories, with limited success.
The participants concluded that the most practical way to address cyanide use involves testing
at points of export, and representatives from the three major exporting countries (Philippines,
Indonesia, and Vietnam) supported implementation of networks of CDT laboratories in their
countries. The working group also identifi ed major limitations that need to be overcome for
testing to be successful. First and foremost, recent studies have questioned the sensitivity of
various tests, the ease of application by law enforcement in a fi eld situation, and the potential
diffi culties in detecting cyanide at points of import due to the potential for rapid conversion
of cyanide to thiocyanate and other metabolites. The participants suggested that the ISE
method was the preferred test for use at points of export, mainly because it had been regularly
used for many years. However, they also noted that suffi cient concerns have been raised about
the application of the ISE method to whole fi sh. For the ISE method to be internationally
accepted as a standard test for marine fi shes — especially in an enforcement context — the
methodology used to test fi sh needs independent and careful verifi cation.
After the conclusion of the plenary speeches, three concurrent working groups were convened
to tackle questions surrounding cyanide testing and identify pragmatic approaches and
collaborative initiatives in exporting and importing countries to mitigate the use of cyanide.
The participants focused on the following topics:
(1) existing or potential analytical cyanide detection methods that could be applied to marine
fi shes at collection sites, point of export, and ports of import;
(2) requirements of an internationally recognized test at points of import that would carry
weight in a court of law; and
(3)
steps, agreements, and/or partnerships that could be established between exporting
governments, the U.S. government, NGOs, certifi cation agencies, community groups, and
academic scientists to implement cyanide testing in exporting countries.
The Field Forensics and Toxicology Working Group concluded serious gaps exist in
the understanding of the metabolism of cyanide and its major metabolites in marine fi sh.
A detailed analysis requires that the analyte is stable and at elevated levels in the fi sh long
enough for it to be delivered to the laboratory and an examination conducted. Without a
better understanding of these processes in representative fi sh species, the implementation of
an exposure assessment method that would meet legal requirements would be diffi cult. The
Working Group identifi ed research as the highest immediate priority to determine the half-life
of cyanide and major metabolites (especially thiocyanate) in marine fi sh and variations between
species and life history stages. Other needs included an examination of background levels of
cyanide (and major metabolites) in marine fi sh collected from different locations and whether
they are above the limit of quantifi cation, to ensure that the applied test can detect elevated
levels of cyanide that would indicate exposure by fi sh collectors. To perform this research,
validated methods for the determination of cyanide, thiocyanate and other metabolites (e.g.,
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