Elevated numbers of tumors in fish in three rivers

[Lipripper]

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Researchers have found elevated numbers of tumors in fish in the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic rivers, suggesting that more cleanup efforts are needed to remove contaminants from the three Wisconsin waterways.

The study led by the U.S. Geological Survey found elevated skin and liver tumors in white suckers. It also found that some male white suckers sampled for the study had testicular tumors. That finding came was a surprise because those tumors haven't been found often in other research projects involving polluted rivers targeted for cleanup, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The study, published this week in the Journal of Fish Diseases, said the exact cause of the tumors isn't known. But previous research has suggested that exposure to certain chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can cause liver tumors in fish. PAHs come from diesel, coal, gasoline and some types of oil.

The three rivers, which converge in Milwaukee before flowing into Lake Michigan, make up one of 43 so-called "areas of concern" in the Great Lakes region, where high levels of pollution qualify them for federal cleanup funding to remove industrial contaminants and other pollutants. The cleanup work has included removal of chemicals such as PAHs and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.

Victor Pappas of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said measuring skin and liver tumors is one method researchers use to determine whether additional cleanup of contaminated sediments is needed. White suckers are widely used in environmental health monitoring and are considered an indicator species. And because they forage in sediments, they can help scientists understand the types and extent of pollution in waterways.

Pollutants that appear to be the source of tumors in white suckers could be creating tumors in other fish species, too, said Vicki Blazer, a fish biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and the lead scientist in the study.

"Or they could have other effects, such as in reproduction, or they might simply die," Blazer said.

The researchers sampled the three Milwaukee-area rivers - plus the Sheboygan River, the Root River in Racine and the Kewaunee River in northeastern Wisconsin - between 2012 and 2014. They took 200 samples of adult fish during spawning season in each of the river systems. In the three Milwaukee rivers, 48 percent of the white suckers sampled had skin tumors while 15 percent had liver tumors. The Sheboygan River had a lower percentage, and the Root and Kewaunee rivers had even less.

[Mike Cork]

That's a very high percentage of affected fish  All the reading I've done on clean up efforts provides for a much different and better picture of the Great Lakes Region. This is very scary.

[flowerjohn]

That's a very high percentage of affected fish  All the reading I've done on clean up efforts provides for a much different and better picture of the Great Lakes Region. This is very scary.

Anything caught in Lake Ontario we know not to eat. These are big lakes Mike had a bunch of industrial crap dropped in them for decades that can't be cleaned up. The cleanup efforts consist of not putting anymore pollutants in the water and it will take years for the lakes to clean themselves. There is a very big positive difference in water quality in our Great Lakes but clean fish out of those waters will take many years to happen but only if there is a continuing commitment to the effort.


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[Mike Cork]

For me this is a case of media bias. I only get to read what the media and government wants me too. Lot living there I read all these great articles about how it's working so well.

I know that new regulations have been a big help, but there was money ear marked for clean up too. I reckon that's just like any other state and it gets robbed.

[flowerjohn]

Both our governments have to spend a lot of money together to keep Asian carp out of the upper Great Lakes. Three billion to do it properly. I am not holding out much hope but by the time those things get all the way up here I will be resting in peace. If I was in Colin Kaepernick's position, perhaps I would take a knee for our natural resources. But that is based on my interests. Can't speak for others.


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