Fish as sentinels of environmental health
Murchelano RA. 1988. Fish as sentinels of environmental health. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Center. Woods Hole, MA
Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, is polluted by storm water runoff, municipal wastewater, and sewage sludge, as well as riverborne domestic and industrial pollutants, and introductions characteristic of and related to the sustained heavy commercial ship traffic in the port. Shallow areas of the inner harbor provide suitable spawning and nursery areas for winter flounder. The harbor contains large numbers of winter founder during most of the year and is virtually a sanctuary for the species since commercial fishing is prohibited. Recent disease surveys have shown that harbor winter flounder have a high prevalence of gross and microscopic hepatic lesions, including carcinomas. Although harbor sediments contain high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), the evidence ascribing either one of these organic chemicals as a direct cause of the neoplastic lesions observed is circumstantial. As a case study, however, investigations as to the cause and prevalence of hepatic carcinoma in Boston Harbor winter flounder will attest to the utility of fish as sentinels of aquatic environmental health
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Murchelano, Robert
- Date of Issue
- 1988-09
- Publisher
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Center
- Units
- BOHA
- Keywords
- Biochemistry, Biology, Boston Harbor, Charles River, Chelsea River, Chlorinated Hydrocarbons (PCB DDE HCB), Dorchester Bay, Fish, Fishery, Flounder (Bothidae & Pleuronictidae), Hingham Bay, Hingham Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, Mystic River, Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Quincy Bay, Tissue