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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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<strong>River</strong>. Hence, this route <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure is likely to be important for those stocks that spend ac<strong>on</strong>siderable period <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> time rearing in habitats located in the lower <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> (e.g.,Harris<strong>on</strong> <strong>River</strong> stocks).6.1.5 <str<strong>on</strong>g>Potential</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Effects</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals <strong>on</strong> FishExposure to endocrine disrupting compounds has the potential to cause a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>adverse effects in fish. Based <strong>on</strong> a review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the available literature, Crisp et al. (1998)identified the following types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> effects in vertebrates exposed to endocrine disruptingcompounds:• Abnormal thyroid functi<strong>on</strong>;• Decreased fertility;• Decreased hatching success;• Demasculinizati<strong>on</strong> and feminizati<strong>on</strong>;• Defeminizati<strong>on</strong> and masculinizati<strong>on</strong>; and,• Alterati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> immune functi<strong>on</strong>.The following secti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this document provide brief summaries <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> effectsthat have been observed in salm<strong>on</strong>ids or other fish species exposed to the endocrinedisrupting compounds that are likely to occur in aquatic habitats within the study area.Pharmaceuticals and Pers<strong>on</strong>al Care Products - Horm<strong>on</strong>es, synthetic horm<strong>on</strong>es,n<strong>on</strong>ylphenols, and other surfactants were identified as the principal pharmaceuticalsand pers<strong>on</strong>al care products that have been released into the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> and/or itstributaries that are known or suspected to be endocrine disruptors. Based <strong>on</strong> theresults <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>trolled laboratory studies, it is apparent that exposure to these classes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>endocrine disrupting compounds can cause a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> adverse effects <strong>on</strong> fish,including salm<strong>on</strong>ids.Natural Horm<strong>on</strong>es - There are a number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> natural horm<strong>on</strong>es that are comm<strong>on</strong>lyreleased to surface waters in discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants.To evaluate the effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> such horm<strong>on</strong>es <strong>on</strong> fish, McCormick et al. (2005)administered four doses (2 µg/g each) <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 17ß-estradiol, the predominant sex horm<strong>on</strong>ein women, to Atlantic salm<strong>on</strong> (Salmo salar) parr during the course <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the experiment.After 14 days, exposed and c<strong>on</strong>trol fish were placed in seawater to assess salinitytolerance. The results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this study indicated that parr-smolt transformati<strong>on</strong> and83

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