11-20-2005, 12:10 PM
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'Intersex' Fish Found Off Calif. Coast
(gg)
LOS ANGELES - Scientists have discovered sexually
altered fish off the Southern California coast,
raising concerns that treated sewage discharged into
the ocean contains chemicals that can affect an
animal's reproductive system.
So-called intersex animals are not new, but most
previous instances were in freshwater.
Environmentalists say this is among the first studies
to document the effects in a marine environment.
Last year, federal scientists reported finding
egg-growing male fish in Maryland's Potomac River.
They think the abnormality may be caused by pollutants
from sewage plants, feedlots and factories.
In the latest studies, presented at Monday's Society
of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry in
Baltimore, scientists caught 82 male English sole and
hornyhead turbot off Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Of those, 11 possessed ovary tissue in their testes,
said Doris Vidal of the Southern California Coastal
Water Research Project, who led one of the studies.
Scientists do not yet know how such sexual defects
affect the overall fish population.
Nearly a billion gallons of treated sewage are
released into the Pacific Ocean every day through
three underwater pipelines off Huntington Beach, Playa
del Rey and Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Although the wastewater is filtered, it still contains
contaminants that settle onto the ocean floor.
Two related studies found that two-thirds of male fish
near the Orange County pipeline had egg-producing
qualities. In a laboratory experiment, male fish
exposed to sediment collected from the pipelines also
developed egg-producing traits.
Steve Weisberg, who heads the water research project,
said the results warrant further study to determine
whether sexually altered fish are widespread in ocean waters.
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