Gladstone Fish Health Investigation 2011 - 2012 - Western Basin ...

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Contaminants in Tissue of Fish and Crabs Collected in the Gladstone Area1. IntroductionIn August 2011, the Queensland Government received reports of ill barramundi occurring in theBoyne River, Gladstone. Subsequently a variety of other aquatic species were allegedly affectedby illnesses in the Gladstone region. In response to this, Fisheries Queensland closed GladstoneHarbour on 16 September 2011 for a period of 21 days. The Queensland Government set up amulti-faceted investigation program into potential causes of the fish illness that included fish healthsampling and testing (DAFF 2012), water and sediment quality testing (DERM 2011a, b; EHP2012a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i; DSITIA 2013a, b) and the commissioning of a review on the possible linkbetween metals and metalloids and immunosuppression and increased disease susceptibility(Poulsen and Escher 2012).Initial investigations found that two conditions were apparent in diseased barramundi: red spotdisease (in one barramundi from Port Alma) and external parasitism by the fluke Neobenedeniasp., which was affecting the eye and skin of the barramundi (DAFF 2012). Also noted were a rangeof generally mild skin conditions, although no bacterial, parasitic or fungal pathogens wereidentified which could explain the skin conditions (DAFF 2012). Monthly water quality monitoring ofdissolved metals and metalloids for a year from September 2011 to September 2012 and early in2013 indicated levels of contaminants were generally below the Australian and New Zealand waterquality guidelines (ANZECC and ARMCANZ (2000), although some areas of the harbour did haveconcentrations of metals and metalloids that exceeded water quality guidelines consistently. Thesewere for dissolved copper in the Gladstone Marina and dissolved arsenic, molybdenum andaluminium in South Trees Inlet (DERM 2011, DERM 2012a, b, EHP 2012a, b, d, e, f, g, h, i;DSITIA 2013a, b). An extensive sediment survey undertaken in the harbour in February and March2012 did not find any contaminants at levels of concern (EHP 2012c).In October 2011 the Gladstone Fish Health Scientific Advisory Panel was established to provideindependent scientific advice to the Queensland Government on the fish health investigation inGladstone Harbour. In response to the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Panel(Gladstone Fish Health Scientific Advisory Panel 2012), the Queensland Government commencedthe Gladstone Integrated Aquatic Investigation Program in order to understand the causes of fishhealth issues in Gladstone Harbour. This program commenced in late April 2012.This report outlines the results of tissue residue testing undertaken as part of the extendedGladstone Integrated Aquatic Investigation Program. The focus of the tissue residue work was totest the validity of the public perception of a link between dredging activities in Gladstone Harbourand fish and crab health. In particular, concern was raised that dredging caused the re-suspensionof sediments and the subsequent release of metals contaminants that then affected fish and crabhealth. A review of immunosuppression literature (Poulsen and Escher 2012) indicated thatexposure to dissolved metals at sufficiently high concentrations in water may increasesusceptibility to pathogens and diseases.An association between metals and crab disease has been raised previously in GladstoneHarbour. Crab shell disease has been reported in the harbour as early as 1994. Work by Andersen(2003) indicated there may be some association between metal contamination and crab shelldisease in mud crabs in Gladstone Harbour. Although this disease is found in other areas of thestate, Andersen (2003) reported higher prevalence rates of the disease in Gladstone Harbourcompared to reference sites.In order to assess any potential association between contaminants and disease, analysis for 13metals and metalloids was undertaken in mud crab (Scylla serrata) hepatopancreas, barramundiPage 1
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts(Lates calcarifer) gills and liver, and grinner (Saurida sp.) muscle. In addition, a suite of 17polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 57 pesticides, 8 miscellaneous organic chemicals(including synthetic fragrances) and 32 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analysed in mudcrab hepatopancreas. Historically, mud crabs have been used as biomonitors of long term waterquality trends for metals and metalloids and organics along the Queensland Coast (Mortimer 2000;Negri et al 2009) as they bioaccumulate these contaminants from the surrounding environment.These past studies provide data for comparison with results of the current study.In order to assess potential links between exposure to contaminants and disease in fish and crabsfrom the Gladstone region, three research questions were investigated using analysis of tissueresidues:1. Is there a link between the concentrations of contaminants in fish and crab tissue andvisible signs of animal health (diseased versus healthy)?2. Are the concentrations of contaminants in crab and fish tissue from Gladstone similar tothose from other Queensland estuarine and near-coastal locations?3. Are the levels of residues measured in fish and crab tissue known to be associated withecotoxicological effects reported in other studies?Page 2
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Department of Agriculture, Fisherie
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ContentsTable of tables 1Table of f
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Mullet (Mugilidae) 80Banana prawn (
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Figure 7. Barramundi caught in the
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Figure 38. Sharks caught in the Cal
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Phase 1 (August 2011-February 2012)
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The results in this study support t
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ecognised expertise and research pu
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Mr Mitchell reported high catches u
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Figure 2. Sampling sites within the
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Phase 2: Expanded Gladstone Fish He
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Mud crab (Scylla serrata): Mud crab
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For mud crabs, hepatopancreas, gill
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Table 2. The number of fish, crusta
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Significant findings and discussion
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Commercial barramundi catch and cat
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Figure 6. Eye condition observed in
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Conditions observed in barramundi s
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Figure 12. A barramundi caught in t
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provided another environmental stre
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was somewhat reduced because post-m
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4,000Commercial effort (days fished
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Size structure of mud crabs observe
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Figure 21. Examples of shell abnorm
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Of the 58 crabs observed to have sh
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HistopathologyLipid storage vacuola
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Commercial fishing effort for mulle
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Figure 28. (a) Mullet caught in Rod
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June/July: Mullet samples were coll
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Sharks and raysThe monitoring progr
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Observational findings Phase 1Phase
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Encysted larval parasites were foun
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in particular bull sharks, have bee
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Commercial banana prawn catch for t
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Observational findings Phase 2April
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Laboratory testing Phase 1Seven riv
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four displayed signs of redness. Th
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Conditions observed in pelagic fish
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FinfishObservational findingsDuring
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ConclusionsIn 2011, a wide range of
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Mud crabsFisheries Queensland did n
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Owens, L. 1983. Bopyrid isopod Epip
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Candidate speciesThe monitoring pro
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Table 1: Candidate species for each
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Sample processingSample processing
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Herring/grinner/Australian threadfi
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For example: the third specimen, re
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oooGonad - present/absentHepatopanc
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Cloudy eye,swollen,redness orhemorr
Page 99 and 100: Red pin pointmarks - nogeneral redn
Page 101 and 102: Lesion photos Description GradeThis
Page 103 and 104: L4continuedoperculumgrazing;cuts or
Page 105 and 106: Appendix A-3: Fish health assessmen
Page 107 and 108: Appendix B - Statistical report: Gl
Page 109 and 110: analyses, but this was not done for
Page 111 and 112: was a significant (P < 0.05) locati
Page 113 and 114: Percentage with fin condition > 015
Page 115 and 116: Table 3.6b. Effects of locations an
Page 117 and 118: Table 3.7d. Spleen categories - cou
Page 119 and 120: 32Bundy2Bundy1UpBoyne1UpBoyne2LwBoy
Page 121 and 122: Table 3.9c. Regional group means an
Page 123 and 124: Table 4.2c. Effects of locations an
Page 125 and 126: 4.5 Summarising by regionsThe means
Page 127 and 128: Ta ble 5.2a. Effects of locations a
Page 129 and 130: 5.5 Summarising by regionsThe means
Page 131 and 132: 6.3 ResultsThere was no significant
Page 133 and 134: Table 6.5 lists the mean values whe
Page 135 and 136: Standardized residualsStandardized
Page 137 and 138: Table 2.3f. Muscle lesions.Lake Fit
Page 139 and 140: Table 4. 1f. Muscle lesions.Fitzroy
Page 141 and 142: Table 5.6. Regiona l m eans for the
Page 143 and 144: Contaminants in Tissue ofFish and C
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Page 147 and 148: Contaminants in Tissue of Fish and
Page 149: Contaminants in Tissue of Fish and
Page 153 and 154: Department of Science, Information
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Department of Science, Information
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Appendix E - Time line BarraBy John
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friends. Rapidly rising flood water
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To make note - condition loss was e
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May/June- FinsMy initial observatio
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Thes e escapee were now also in awo
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Figure N. Barramundi showing net ma
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September- Deaths and SicknessFigur
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There is numerous distinguishing fe
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Department of Agriculture, Fisherie
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Gladstone Fish Health Investigation 2011 - 2012 - Western Basin ...

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