Assessment of Wild Fish From Assessment of Wild Fish From Canadian Areas of Concern Canadian Areas of Concern

for Fish Health and for Fish Health and Reproductive AlterationsReproductive Alterations

M. McMasterNational Water Research Institute

Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Beneficial Use Impairments Beneficial Use Impairments · restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption· tainting of fish and wildlife flavor · degradation of fish and wildlife populations · fish tumors or other deformities · bird or animal deformities or reproduction problems · degradation of benthos· restrictions on dredging activities · eutrophication or undesirable algae · drinking water restrictions, or taste and odor problems · beach closings · degradation of aesthetics · added costs to agriculture or industry · degradation of phytoplankton and zooplankton· loss of fish and wildlife habitat

Reproductive Effects Identified at Jackfish Bay Reproductive Effects Identified at Jackfish Bay AOCAOC

Detailed studies at the Jackfish Bay AOC (bleached kraft mill discharge) identified reproductive effects in white sucker exposed to effluent

Are Similar Effects present at Are Similar Effects present at other AOCs? Reproductive other AOCs? Reproductive

effects were not looked at when effects were not looked at when sites were listed.sites were listed.

Jim Sherry, Scott Brown, Joanne Parrott, Mark Hewitt, Derek Muir, National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada

Alice Dove, Scott Painter, Melanie Neilson,Ecosystem Health Division, Environment Canada -Ontario Region

Liard Shutt, Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment Canada

D.V. Chip Weseloh, Kim Fernie, Pamela Martin, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada-Ontario Region

Assessment of Effects in Wild FishAssessment of Effects in Wild Fish

Follow EEM approach where 20 males and 20 females of two species captured:

Examination of gonad development, egg size, fecundity, expression of secondary sexual characteristics

Measurement of circulating Vtg, reproductive steroid hormone levels and thyroid hormones

Determination of steroid and thyroid biosynthetic capacity

Liver mixed-function oxidase Histology of endocrine and other tissues (gonads,

thyroid, liver) Liver tumours, deformities and other anomolies Contaminant concentrations in blood, muscle Binding of liver and SPMD extracts to endocrine

receptors

JFB reassessed in 2006 using these endpoints –Tumour data is in cue for processing

Reproductive Effects Identified at Jackfish Bay Reproductive Effects Identified at Jackfish Bay AOCAOC

Detailed studies at the Jackfish Bay AOC (bleached kraft mill discharge) identified reproductive effects in white sucker exposed to effluent

0 1 2 km

bleached Kraft mill

Terrace Bay, ON

Jackfish Lake

N

Blackbird Creek

Sawmill Creek

Jackfish Bay

Lake Superior

Moberly Lake

17

1717

Pulp Mill Effluent Exposed

Effects Of Pulp Mill Effluent ExposureOn White Sucker Ovary Size

Reference Site

0

2

4

6

8

Male0

5

10

15

20

FemaleMountain Bay (Reference)Jackfish Bay (BKME Exposed)

EFFECTS OF PULP MILL EFFECTS OF PULP MILL EFFLUENT EXPOSURE ON EFFLUENT EXPOSURE ON GONADOSOMATIC INDEXGONADOSOMATIC INDEX

G.S

.I. (%

Bod

y W

eigh

t)

Pulp Mill Effluent Exposed

Effects Of Pulp Mill Effluent ExposureOn Lake Whitefish Testes Size

Reference Site

WHITE SUCKER ARE SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC

Nuptual Tubercles Are Abundant In Sexually Mature Males

0

5

10

15

20

1 2 3 4 5 6

Mountain Bay (Reference)

Jackfish Bay (BKME EXPOSED)

EFFECTS OF PULP MILL EFFECTS OF PULP MILL EXPOSURE ON NUPTUAL EXPOSURE ON NUPTUAL

TUBERCLESTUBERCLES

Tubercle Index

# O

f Fis

h

0

20

40

60

80

100

<5 6 7 8 9 10

JackfishBay(BKME)Mountain Bay(Reference)

Age (Years)

Prop

ortio

n O

f Sam

ple

(%)

DELAYED SEXUAL MATURITY IN PULP MILL EXPOSED FISH

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

E2 Testosterone

Mountain Bay (Reference)

Jackfish Bay (BKME EXPOSED)

00.20.40.60.8

11.21.41.6

E2 Testosterone

Ster

oid

Hor

mon

e Ti

tre (n

g/m

L)EFFECTS OF PULP MILL EFFLUENT ON EFFECTS OF PULP MILL EFFLUENT ON

FEMALE WHITE SUCKER STEROIDSFEMALE WHITE SUCKER STEROIDS

Vitellogenic Pre-Spawning

1 2 3 4 5 6A

B

C

D

Remove Ovary; 10 Follicles/Well

In VitroIn Vitro Steroid Hormone Determination Steroid Hormone Determination

Radioimmunoassay (RIA)To Determine Steroid Production

Circulating Steroid

(pg/mL)

0500

1,0001,5002,0002,500

0

20

40

60

80Basal

In VitroSteroid

ReferencePulp Mill

**

**

17 B-Estradiol Testosterone