Pollution May Trigger Heath Problems in Deep-Water Fish, Study Says

Fish living in deep waters near continental slopes have tumors, liver pathologies, and other health problems that may be
scabbardfish liver cells
Microscopic abnormality in a black scabbardfish liver.
linked to human-generated pollution, researchers report in the journal Marine Environmental Research. They also describe the first case of a deep-water fish species with an “intersex” condition — a blend of male and female sex organs. In the study, which looked at fish in the Bay of Biscay west of France, researchers found a wide range of degenerative and inflammatory lesions in fish living along the continental slope, which can act as a sink for heavy metal contaminants and organic pollutants such as PCBs and pesticides. The fish that live in these deep waters are often extremely long-lived — some can be 100 years old — which allows them to bioaccumulate such contaminants. However, linking the fishes’ physiological changes to pollution is preliminary at this time, the researchers said.