Pity the mummichog.
The little fish is one of the few species that spends its whole life in the Elizabeth River, even in areas thickly contaminated with cancer-causing toxics.
Its claim to fame is that most other fish like to eat mummichogs, while its own diet consists of worms and algae.
Because mummichogs never stray far from their native homes, scientists have come to view the fish as a canary-in-a-coal-mine species, an indicator of overall environmental health in a specific waterway.
In recent studies in the Elizabeth River, researchers have documented especially high rates of liver cancer and precancerous tumors in mummichogs living near toxic hot spots on the Southern and Eastern branches of the river, near old factories and shipyards.
At one sampling site on the Southern Branch, next to the former Atlantic Wood creosote plant, where tarlike wood preservatives were manufactured for decades, nearly 90 percent of sampled fish had liver tumors.
About 40 percent of these mummichogs had full-blown cancer, too, according to the new research conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, a branch of the College of William and Mary.
"Those are exceptionally high percentages," said Wolfgang Vogelbein, a VIMS scientist who led the research effort in late 2006. His results were just published by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, which commissioned the study.
"We can draw a very clear link between these old toxic contaminants and the continued, deteriorating health of these fish," Vogelbein said.
By contrast, few mummichogs showed any health problems in areas of the river flowing past homes and apartments, including the Western Branch in Chesapeake and the Lafayette River in Norfolk.
The Elizabeth River Project, an environmental group trying to restore the river, said the research illustrates the importance of one of the group's cornerstone missions - removing toxic contaminants from bottom sediments that continue to plague the river's future.
The contaminants of most concern are called PAHs - polyaromatic hydrocarbons - which are black, petroleum wastes thought to cause cancer. If such tarlike wastes are not plucked from the river's bottom, group leaders say, the Elizabeth can never rebound.
At Money Point, a former industrial site in Chesapeake that includes a defunct creosote plant, the Elizabeth River Project is working with landowners and government officials to neutralize a PAH-laden hot spot just offshore.
Scientists studied mummichogs living off Money Point for the first time in 2006 and found high rates of cancer and precancerous lesions in some zones and hardly any problems in others.
At the worst, about 15 percent of sampled fish had precancerous lesions, according to the results. At best, about 2 percent suffered from lesions.
"It reiterates our position that to help the ecosystem, you have to get rid of the PAHs," said Joe Rieger, a scientist with the Elizabeth River Project.
Rieger noted that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under its Superfund program, is working with Atlantic Wood to clean up PAH-laden wastes at the former creosote plant in Portsmouth on the Southern Branch.
Just across the river in Chesapeake, Rieger said, the Elizabeth River Project hopes to push for the cleanup of another former creosote plant, Republic Creosote, where research also showed high rates of mummichog liver cancer and tumors.
No wonder, then, that the group has adopted the mummichog as one of its mascots. It has a program aimed at "saving the mummichog" by 2020.
The minnow-like fish are exposed to cancer-causing contaminants mostly by eating tiny worms that crawl around in PAH-soaked sediments in the river, said Vogelbein, the research team leader.
It is not the first time that Vogelbein and colleagues have studied mummichogs and liver cancer in the Elizabeth. Data published in 1998, 2001 and 2003 also showed high cancer rates, though scientists expressed some hope after the 2001 study that such prevalence might be waning.
But the most recent study found a resurgence of elevated rates in industrialized areas.
"I don't think conditions are getting worse," Vogelbein said. "I just think they continue to be highly degraded in certain pockets."
He said scientists have found similar cancer problems in mummichogs living in the Patapsco River near Baltimore, where much industry once stood, and in summer flounder in Boston Harbor.
In the Elizabeth River this time, researchers studied 16 sites and found precancerous lesions in mummichogs at 14 of them. Full-blown cancer was seen in fish at five sites, all on the Southern and Eastern branches.
Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340, scott.harper@pilotonline.com
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RE Thoughts
Thank you.. The site is now on my "favorites"..As to the rest of the post, concerning education, funding, etc. I agree 100%.. Feedback.. It's rare but, definitely appreciated. I will be on the site this evening when I have more time...Good luck with your mummichog studies..
thoughts regarding the Elizabeth River Project
As the researcher using the mummichog as an indicator of chemical pollution in the Elizabeth River, I'd like to share with you some thoughts on comments made about the Elizabeth River Project in this forum. The ERP has an excellent web site that provides a good overview of their activities at:
http://www.elizabethriver.org/
Over the course of my long-term working relationship with the ERP, I have come to appreciate the tremendous dedication and passion that these fine individuals have for the Elizabeth River. Not only does this highly effective grass-roots organization educate the community about the contaminant issues impacting the river, it also has made tremendous strides to form a government, academic, business and citizen partnership in its' effort to clean up the river.
Public education, especially efforts targeting the kids, is in my estimation not a squandering of resources on "silly educational projects of little or no value". Our kids are the future and educating them about the important environmental issues we face will be a critical step towards developing future solutions. Money spent on educating people is ALWAYS money well spent. Just think.........with
How much sewage does Norfolk
How much sewage does Norfolk dump into that river everyday?
You know Contractor
You're so right. I've seen it too and wondered why, thinking it was something we usually see in warmer weather. Gotta wonder why and what's going on. But no worries, it's all good according to the industry bosses and the city bosses. They wouldn't do a thing to harm the people or the planet!
Mummichog.*.wikipedia..very interesting...
In 1973 the mummichog became the first fish in space when carried on Skylab 3 as part of the biological experiments package later space missions by the U.S., such as Bion 3, have also carried mummichog.
Although not too good for a mummichog's health, kissing a mummichog is believed to bring good luck.
*Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummichog"
Algae
I would also like to mention concerning the tributaries of the branch of the Elizabeth River in the South Norfolk area, have what appears to be excessive amounts of algae appearing a lot earlier this year than I have noticed in previous seasons. I'm no Biologist, but, I'm guessing sewage may be finding it's way in there, as well as whatever other ungodly concoctions are present...slowly, & not so slowly, depending upon how you look at it...killing off fish, crabs, & possibly other creatures farther up the food chain..
And This is just one river
Think of all the rivers all over this country, that industry has polluted over the last 200 years. And just think we've shipped all our industries overseas to China and India and wherever else so the work can be done on the cheap, on the sly, with little or no oversight, and away from the watchful eyes of anyone and everyone. Our industries are now polluting those countries and their water sources too. It's disgusting that even after all these years, just like Dominion and its recent stir-up over fly ash, that industry still gets away with saying, who us, not us, we'd never do anything like that, we care about people and the planet. Yea right, whatever. It's absolutely disgusting and obscene.
Imagine that the earht's
Imagine that the earht's waterways are connected muchlike a humans blood stream(they area). If cancer occurs under your toenail, do you have cancer or just a small problem? The clock is running...
Tumor Photo ....& Georges
I like the Tumor photo better than the minnow picture. The neoplasm is clearly visible in that photograph. The minnows however, appear to be perfectly healthy, at least visually. I do realize that a liver is an internal organ, but, I have caught fish with what appear to be external cancerous growths. I have also cleaned a few flounders that had suspicious appearing tissue between the internal organs (guts) & the main backbone in the skeleton of the flounder. I also recollect a large striper with suspicious organ tissue.. Georges..good question...The signs I have read only mention mercury & associated warnings.. Creosote , any other chemicals, &/or related dangers are not specified in any of the signs I have seen.
Hey, George, there are many,
Hey, George, there are many, many signs alerting people to the dangers of consuming fish and shellfish from these waters - at Great Bridge Locks & Deep Creek Locks, just to name two.
The ELizabeth River Project has been around for a few years now & I'm not seeing a lot happening in the way of clean up. While I agree that educating the public is important (since it would obviously stir up some monetary donations) what are they actually doing to clean up the river? Yeah, study the fish. The cancer in the fish should tell them what they need to know. Now, start cleaning up the river! How can I help? I'm sure many of us would donate some time to help with this extremely important project. I would. Does the Elizabeth River Projct have a website or someone to contact so I can volunteer?
No Fishing
Why aren't their signs to alert fisherman and crabbers the dangers?
Out of Sight-Out of Mind Remains the Priority of Some Industries
The Elizabeth River did not turn into one of the most polluted waterways in the United States overnight, or did it? Before the Clean Water Act waterways were the preferred dumping ground for all manner of wastes, both toxic and not. For some industrial activities, it is a game of catch me if you can when dealing with environmental compliance and regulators. Some facilities even take pride in doing things much like they were being done in the 50's and 60's. Do the dirtiest work at night, when the prying eyes of the public are asleep. The River hides the waste. Make a toxic wastewater soup and allow it to fall without control onto soils beneath marine railways to just..disappear, the River conceals the danger. The former creosote plants are known and their effects quantified. Bad stuff the River can no longer conceal. There are no other surprises. The lingering industrial sites where management is ignorant of their social responsibilities are few, but should be lnown by the ERP and other tasked with protection of this resource.
The Research Is A Warning
The research is just proving that our water supply is in danger. These little fish are showing cancer, but it implies that these animals are not the only creatures in danger. I will not eat a fish I catch out of fresh water anymore, with the exception of striped bass which come out of salt water to spawn.
I can remember as a kid in the 70s fishing in the Pamlico Sound and in the Chesapeake Bay and filling a cooler with nice fish with little effort, in a short time. you can't do this like you could then and it has a lot to do with what we have done to the water. Its time that we as a society do something regarding the water quality.
DO something then
The Elizabeth River project should use their resources to remove these toxins rather than squandering money on silly "educational" projects of little or no value.
Not Surprised
I can't believe people still fish there & eat the fish & crabs they caught....There are mercury warnings posted at the fishing pier by the Jordon Bridge, the Deep Creek locks, & the Dismal Swamp. .. Think it doesn't recommend eating over 2 fish a month...Personally, until it's cleaned up I think 1 fish over any amount of time is too much. I'll take my chances in the bay or the ocean fishing..at least if there are pollutants there, they are more widely dispersed...