The repercussions of Japan’s tragic nuclear disaster are now having damaging effects out at sea. High levels of radiation off the coast of Fukushima have raised concerns over harm to local marine life and there’s a risk that contaminated fish, shellfish and seaweed may enter the food chain.

This is on top of the sad fate of many local seafood and shellfish farms, including scallops, oysters, sea urchins and sea snails, that were destroyed along with fishing vessels by the tsunami in March.

Officials are currently watching levels of iodine-131 in seawater because although it has a half-life of eight days (meaning it is half as radioactive after that time) the substance builds up in seaweed, a staple food in Japan. This radioactive iodine, if consumed, can collect in the thyroid and cause cancer.

Many countries, including Britain, have begun radiation testing of fish, shellfish and other fresh produce from Japan and imposed wider bans on imports from the region.

However, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, iodine-131 in seawater would “soon be of no concern” presuming there are no further discharges of contaminated water from the power station. Moreover, Japanese authorities have released the first analyses of fish, caught at the port of Choshi, south of Fukushima, which found one of five to be contaminated with a detectable level of caesium-137, a far more persistent radioactive substance, though at a concentration that was far below safety limits for consumption.

In addition, according to James Smith, an environmental physicist at Portsmouth University, fish and other sea creatures are unlikely to be seriously harmed by the radioactive leaks, even in the most contaminated areas. While fish accumulate radioactive contamination, this happens less in the ion-rich waters of the oceans than in freshwater lakes. Here’s hoping Japan’s marine creatures are saved…

Source: www.guardian.co.uk