Sydney fishos have high dioxins (The Australian)

[DICER]

Sydney fishos have high dioxins
July 20, 2006
BLOOD tests on Sydney Harbour commercial fishermen and their families show they have dangerously high levels of dioxins in their bodies.
The test results reveal all 95 people tested have dioxin levels between twice and 10 times the Australian average, The Daily Telegraph reports today.

The fact that every person tested positive could have serious ramifications for recreational anglers and consumers who have eaten significant quantities of seafood caught in the harbour, the newspaper says.

The fishermen and their families underwent blood tests about 10 weeks ago, when commercial fishing was banned in Sydney Harbour because elevated levels of dioxins were found in seafood.

They will be given their test results at Concord Hospital this morning.

The NSW Government has promised special health assistance to the families, after initially labelling the tests unnecessary and refusing to conduct them.

Health Minister John Hatzistergos said his department would introduce measures and assistance to the fishermen's GPs to ensure they are fully informed.

"We will also be convening a seminar to give the family GPs information on dioxins," Mr Hatzistergos told the newspaper.

"We will be establishing an on-going link to the Health Department where GPs can contact the experts and get advice."

NSW Health officials say the health consequences are unknown because so little is known about the dioxins.

[DICER]

I'd like to see perhaps another test for those people eating fish out of the Brisbane river - might disspell a few myths or not.

[Az]

I would say they would be fairly similar

[fishingjew]

Definition (english only)
Chlorinated hydrocarbon (CHC) is a generic term given to compounds containing chlorine, carbon and hydrogen. The term can be used to describe organochlorine pesticides such as lindane and DDT, industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and chlorine waste products such as dioxins and furans. These compounds are persistent in the environment and most bioaccumulates in the food chain. The human and environmental health risks of chlorinated hydrocarbons depend on the compound in question. As a general statement, exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbon has been associated with suppression of the immune system and cancer.


This is what is dumped in the sea off sydney in the sea dumps stopped counting when i reached 215,548 GALLONS NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER STUFF. THIS HAS TO GET INTO THE FOOD CHAIN > AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN MONITORING THESE SITES >

[Louis]

It's scary stuff.

I agree with you Dicer. I wonder what the water quality is like in the Brisbane River.

I'm curious to know how these fisherman received the high levels of toxins. Did it come from eating their own catch or was it from constant exposure to the water on their skin?




Louis

[DICER]

My concern was that all of them tested with high levels. What happens if we sample a larger population?

[snakecatcher]

I would suspect that most members of the population would have high levels of various toxins - you only have to consider the amount of pesticides, fertilisers etc that go into growing most of our food to realise that some of it must end up in our bodies. Of course a lot of these chemicals end up in our waterways and into our fish stocks as well.

Perhaps there is a lot to be said for going organic.

[choppa]

Justin Norrie Urban Affairs Reporter
July 21, 2006

EVERY day for 50 years Charlie Aloe would bring fish he caught in Sydney Harbour home for a family dinner with his wife, Francesca, and their children.

Yesterday, as the 77-year-old was having surgery for bowel cancer at Concord Hospital, Francesca, 68, was a few doors down receiving the news that the level of dioxin in her body was more than 10 times the average.

Whether Mr Aloe's cancer is linked to his own dioxin level, 14 times the average, is unknown. What is now beyond doubt is that the 20 commercial fishermen and 75 relatives who regularly ate seafood caught in the harbour all have above-average levels of dioxin contamination.

In the case of two-year-old Stephan Kandiliotis and his brothers Christopher, 3, and Alexander, 4 - grandsons of long-time commercial fisherman Spiros Kandiliotis - each had dioxin levels three to four times the average.

Dioxins are toxic chemicals known to cause cancer and infertility. The NSW Government paid for the tests on the families, conducted 10 weeks ago, after initially claiming they were not necessary.

Commercial fishing has been banned in Sydney Harbour since January after elevated levels of dioxins were found in bream.

NSW's deputy chief health officer, Kerry Chant, said yesterday that overseas studies showed an increased cancer risk in people exposed to dioxin levels 100 to 1000 times greater than the levels to which the fishing families had been exposed.

She played down the potential effects on the health of the families. Although much was unknown about the impact of dioxin contamination, she said, "the levels are well below those levels where health studies have shown health effects".

One former fisherman, Keith Sewell, said he knew of at least 20 commercial fishermen from the Italian community who had died from cancer in the past 10 years.

After receiving her test results Mrs Aloe said she felt "poisoned". "I'm shocked and disgusted. I've been feeling unwell for 15 years - getting hot flushes, pains - and now I know why. The Government knew about it for nearly four years but said nothing."

Her daughter, Frances Guarrera, who has more than six times the average amount of dioxin, added: "We've been given no direction, no help - all we've been told is that dioxin is stored in body fat so try to lose some body fat. How does a young child do that?" Her nephew Thomas, 5, has three times the average dioxin level.

Dr Chant said that if the families limited their consumption of seafood from the harbour, dioxin levels would decrease over time and the fall would be greatest in those with the highest levels.

The Health Minister, John Hatzistergos, said the Health Department would continue giving advice and support to the fishermen, their families and doctors on managing possible health issues related to exposure to dioxins. He said the department wanted to ensure the fishermen and their families got advice and support.

POISONOUS DIET

December 3, 2005 Commercial prawning banned after high dioxin levels found in Sydney Harbour prawns.

January 24, 2006 Commercial fishing banned after tests show high levels in harbour bream.

April 19 Tests commissioned by the ABC's 7:30 Report reveal a fisherman has up to 10 times the average level of dioxin.


i love the poisonous diet part,,, dates back to even further than those shown above,,,but not made public here??

wonder why that is

[puks]

Justin Norrie Urban Affairs Reporter
July 21, 2006
....
NSW's deputy chief health officer, Kerry Chant, said yesterday that overseas studies showed an increased cancer risk in people exposed to dioxin levels 100 to 1000 times greater than the levels to which the fishing families had been exposed.

She played down the potential effects on the health of the families. Although much was unknown about the impact of dioxin contamination, she said, "the levels are well below those levels where health studies have shown health effects".
....
[/i]

i really like this part [smiley=angryfire.gif]
to me that is just neglegent and more than careless

to me that read this woman is saying to the ppl affected "stop whining your safe only ppl with a much higher levels are at risk so build a bridge and get over it" [smiley=wut.gif]
does she know that dioxin is part of ddt which is banned from alot of countries because of the cancer and infertility risk???


that pollution exists is well known so i think the gov ppl should not play it down but work to prevent it and clear up the mess and make ppl acountable for what they have done esp in cases of illegal dumping.

[Az]

you have to wonder if the fish in our brisbane river are effected then what type of effect would this have on the fish we're catching in moreton bay?

[choppa]

further info,,,,,,,,,,,,

Hopeful early dioxin test results on some recreational fish species
02 May 2006

There are hopeful signs that the dietary advice on some pelagic species of fish in some parts of Sydney Harbour could be changed with dioxin tests on some species continuing to return relatively low results.

With almost 20% of tests on species of fish completed, dioxin levels appear to be well below the elevated levels found in bream and prawns, although the figures in other bottom feeders like mullet and squid continue to be high.

Early batches of preliminary test samples indicate that species of fish like Yellowtail, Kingfish and Trumpeter Whiting have much lower levels of dioxin.

Of 70 fish samples taken so far, 11 had dioxin levels higher than those recommended by the expert panel.

Early results from tests on a range of species in Port Jackson, east of the Bridge, including Sand Whiting, Kingfish, Luderick and Flounder have levels below the 6 picograms per gram recommended by experts.

All Yellowtail tested at Balmoral, Roseville Bridge and Manly were below 3 picograms (a picogram equals a trillionth of a gram). All Trumpeter Whiting were below 4pg/g, at Bantry Bay all Trumpeter Whiting samples were below 0.69 pg/g.

All Sand Whiting tested at Rose Bay and Chowder Bay were below 3.79 pg/g while Trevally tested at Quarantine Bay were below 2.52 pg/g.

The dioxin problem in the Harbour comes from sediment in areas like Homebush Bay, a legacy of 100 years of industrial pollution by companies like Union Carbide.

As a result, the dioxin levels remain high in travelling 'bottom feeders' like bream, prawns, mullet and squid.

For comparison with the most recent tests, bream caught at Balmoral in the December round before the Harbour was closed averaged 14.7 pg/g, bream caught at Clifton Gardens averaged 25.5 pg/g.

Bream caught further west, at Homebush Bay (which has been closed to commercial fishing since 1989) had an average reading of 95.6.

These readings are well above the panel recommendation of 6 pg/g – and that’s why the harbour was closed to commercial fishing in January.

The tests are not complete – and some of the pelagic fish caught have higher levels, for example two Yellowtail samples from Rushcutters Bay had readings of 9.8 and 9.5.

The results for bottom feeders like squid and mullet continue to be high – not surprisingly mullet from areas west of the Bridge like Brays Bay and Homebush have readings of 192, 182 and 147.

Fishing bans have been in place in problem areas in the upper Parramatta River for many years to protect the health of the general community.

This is good news for recreational fishermen but it is the “bottom feeders” that make up the vast bulk of the commercial catch so it can make no difference to the ban on commercial fishing in the Harbour.

The highest results are in bream, prawns, mullet and squid – bottom-feeders and the bulk of commercial catches.

Commercial fishers had been offered a $5 million buyout package for their industry – which had an annual value totalling just $217 000 a year.

Twenty-eight commercial fishers have accepted the Government’s offer – discussions are continuing with others.

The Government has been more than fair with its package – and if, in future the Harbour is re-opened to commercial fishing these fishermen will get the first option.

The dietary advice provided to recreational fishers will be reviewed once the final results are in and DPI receives advice from the Food Authority’s Expert Panel charged with assessing the data.

The State Government is currently conducting remediation works to clean up the former Union Carbide site at Homebush Bay.

Sydney Harbour was closed to commercial prawn fishing on December 3 and commercial fishing on January 24 after expert tests revealed high levels of dioxin in bream and prawns. Areas of the Harbour west of the Bridge including Homebush Bay have been closed to commercial fishing for more than a decade.

Almost seventy signs have been placed around the Harbour warning recreational fishers of the current dietary advice.

Media contact: Kelly Stevens, ph. 02 8289 3949 or 0438 247 571.

[DICER]

mudcrabs, bream and catties are bottom feeders and caught to be eaten (Kingtin for the catties) in the river

I would certainly like to know the levels after further reading the previous post!!!

[FNQCairns]

Interestingly a early as when I was studying Environmental Science (1990s) the dioxin levels in syd harbour was a known factor (including what it does to humans), not remarkable knowledge at the time and we as well as many others (at all levels) knew it to be fact. Why did this just become reality? it didn't.

Can only suspect someone important ate some by accident??

Strange country this one.

IMHO never eat anything estuarine if you dont know where it came from and saw it being caught and can track it to your door, muddies esp, even the Cairns inlet (where I live) ones will never cross our dinner plate.

Oysters.... well lets just no go there shall we.

cheers fnq