Reasons why millions of sardines died in California harbor

With reference to the particular incident of dead sardines in King Harbor this month, research concluded that the fish died of intoxication. Professor of biological sciences, David Caron, and his team reported that indeed those dead sardines stomach contained toxin.

The causes of the sudden death of the fish were that a strong neurotoxin mixture makes the fish confused and unable to swim. Besides, due to strong waves, winds and a lack of oxygen consequently led the latter to instant death.  The team came to analyze the fish tummy due to toxic algal blooms in the coastal water for the few past years. Effectively, it contained a type of neurotoxine called ‘domoic acid’ which drove them to death. 

 The toxin worsened the stress of the fish by making them paralyzed and confused thus eventually they were found dead near the harbor.  The more surprising issue is that no toxins were found in the water and more test were needed to be done added the professor.

A week away from the drastic incident the public and volunteers are still busy cleaning up the sticky mess before it further contaminates the sea water.

 www.seawork.com.na

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/03/15/california.fish.kill/

Millions of fish washed up dead in King Harbour, South of Los Angeles

On Wednesday 8^th March 2011, the King Harbor water was full of dead sardines floating and decaying.  The reason of this drastic situation was caused due to a lack of oxygen in the seawater.  It was reported by the Department of Fish and Game that no sign of water pollution, algal blooms or toxins were found and the city authority said that it might take days and cost $100 000 to tidy up the water surface.  A team of 200 employees have been able to remove 35 tons of fish by skimming technique.  Nonetheless, more than 30 tons were left at the bottom of the harbor despite volunteers and employees further helped in cleaning up the marina by different other techniques such as vacuuming with high pressure pipes, fishing nets and individual hand catching.

Bill Workman, Redondo Beach's city manager said “The quicker the removals of the dead fish are done the better it is.”  The decomposition of the corpses will cause various problems such as high risk of bacteria developing and water contamination which can affect other marine life such as perchs, macrels.  Furthermore, the cleaning up needs to be done rapidly or else the oxygen in the atmosphere will also be affected.

The Marine Biologists expects to analyze deeper in this particular matter with modern and sophisticated equipments from another incident which happened in 2005.  The main priority is to clean out the harbor quickly and for this, the city is looking for more volunteers and is seeking helps from its locality.

www.seawork.com.na

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0310-dead-fish-20110310,0,7727294.story

Fish Spa dangerous for health.

A fish spa is a trendy treatment used for foot but has lately been closed due to hygienic concerns.  These fish can carry contagious diseases from one customer to another.

In Thailand and in 14 States in the US, people like such pampering treatment.  The president of the Dermatological Society of Thailand, Prof Nonagon Noppakun said that fish spas fail to keep a standard level of hygienic conditions resulting to high infection risks.  The professor stated that both the water tank and the fish can cause contamination.  The spa treatment consists of placing your foot in water containing loads of garra rufa fish (doctor fish) which chews the dead skin of your feet within seconds.  The professor’s query is to know if spas use to change their water regularly as anyone can catch an infectious disease during a treatment.  

Ankaraphol (spa employee based in Thailand) stated that; “It all depends on how the spa supervises the treatment system.  The spa management needs to maintain the hygienic conditions and cross check if clients have an open or infected wound.  One true example that can seriously threaten customers is; once a client came for a treatment with an open wound and few hours later all the fish died”.

Based on spa specialist, the water has to be changed according to the number of customers they have.  People should be more aware about the risks of fish spa treatment.


 www.seawork.com.na

http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/women/225416/fish-spa-closures-highlight-concerns-about-hygiene

Fish oil benefits cancer patients

Chemotherapy patients suffer from weight and muscle loss during their curing session.  A new search by the American Cancer Society shows that fish oil intake could prevent weight and muscle loss in these patients.  This new search gave great hope to cancer patients as there is no successful healing for people suffering from nausea and loss of appetite after their chemo session.  They became skinny, tired and making them become lifeless after their treatment sessions.  The intake of fish oil was taken to provide Omega-3 fatty acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid to help them gaining or maintaining their muscles.

In Mazurak’Search – it has been preceded on patients who took fish oil and those who did not.  Having 2.2g of Eicosapentaenoic acid in the blood make 69% of patient’s weight and muscle maintained during the chemotherapy.  The other patients who didn’t include fish oil in their diet lost 5pounds and 2.2 pound of muscle on a 10 week study of curing therapy.

Poor eating habit is stressing for radiation and chemotherapy patients as cancer make one become weak, inflammatory problems which is not good for the heart, muscles cracking. 

Fish oil can avoid inflammatory problems caused by strong medication or diseases. 

www.seawork.com.na

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/02/28/fish-oil--muscle-loss-cancer/

Alaska the biggest seafood and employing industry .

Alaska could be classified the 14^th largest seafood production on the globe, if it was a detached nation. Latest statistics reveal these facts by a fishing company on Wednesday 24 February. 

  In 2009 in the US, Alaska has reached a level of production of 52% and above $3.3 billion in extensive value that particular year.

 In 2009 Alaska exports an entirety of $ 1.6 billion of seafood on the overseas market along with Japan and followed by Canada, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea and China.

Alaska private seafood business has the highest level of employment with a record of 70,548 persons.  According to a report this industry overtakes the totality of employment in the mining, oil and gas industries.  In the south west of Alaska, the main fishing harbor emphasis more in coastline areas and firms focus mainly on these regions, said a report.

www.seawork.com.na 

http://www.kfor.com/sns-rt-usreport-us-alaska-ftre71n0j7-20110224,0,5318732.story

The biggest alligator gar catch ever since 1963.

 On the 14^th of February from vicksburgh, Mr. Kenny Williams caught a fish measured 5 inches long, 8 feet and 48 inches round the body. This amazing catch look like an alligator, a dinosaur and a fish itself with its frightening two rows sharp teethes.  A report from the WAPT.com says that it’s the biggest fish ever caught and it has been caught using nets.  Before being grabbed with lots of efforts by its gills and being pulled into the owner’s boat. 

Williams says to the reporter that he was amazed by the size and the look of his catch and cannot find word to describe it.  Many having seen the fish described it as a frightening predator or a dinosaur.  The (MDWFP) Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks with the officials said that it could be the largest fish ever wedged. In the scientific literature there was a report from 1963 that a catch of an alligator gar of 302-pound has been recorded at that time but this catch if far more as it weight 327 pound said Dennie Riecke of the MDWFP’s.  It is considered as the biggest record in Mississippi. This fish is assumed to have 50 to 70 years of age.

Williams Kenny offers the huge catch of the decades for exhibition in the future to the Mississippi Museum of natural Science where it will be set ready permanently.

www.seawork.com.na

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/21/327-pound-dinosaur-fish-caught-swimming-mississippi/

http://www.wapt.com/r/26887751/detail.html

Aquaculture strategy to reduce overexploitation

The 1^st policy has been issued on Wednesday 9^th of February for aquaculture, giving the opportunity to firm raising seafood to be created in central waters, as far as salted fish and wild fish stocks is not in danger.

The strategy set up by the (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) consists of universal values that local fishery councils need to gather when proposing fish farms.

The global growth of aquaculture was quick for e.g. in 2009 a key source of seafood globally said uncultivated catch stocks surpass shell and farmed fish.   The statistics of the NOAA is that 84% of the consumption of seafood is in the US is now imported and half of that is farmed through aquaculture.  

Shellfish aquaculture is naturally extended to 3 miles offshore, in the US most fin farmed fish are plant eating fish-e.g. tilapia. Few seawater fin fish were farmed and the strategy request more investigation to surrogate about natural fish and farmed fish in the meals.  This could lessen the collision on the ecosystem. The strategy call for a restriction on stocking farmed fish with non- native fish till it can be established that their existence will not affect the ecosystem, habitats and wild species.

 In other countries aquaculture procedures were disapproved from researches and environment list as it increase diseases and pollution amongst untamed fish.  Typical salmon (farmed fish) fed on pellets from minor sea fish that is associated with a decrease of wild sea fish stocks.

The strategy is judged to be a step on the right path and gradually aquamarine standardize, state the director of the aquaculture program, Mr. George H. Leonard.

From the 11 of April, the community can comment on the aquaculture strategies and ultimate report will be taken into account this time said Mr. Schwaab.  Aquaculture industry plays an important role in the global economy as it provides employments, food for living, encouraged exports to the world market and prompts the latest technologies to maintain the industries. 5 billion pounds are spent with fish yearly by the Americans.

www.seawork.com.na

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/science/earth/10fish.html?_r=1

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110209_aquaculture.html