PSAMP Contents Introduction Study Design Species Monitored Sampling Locations Contaminants Monitored Key Findings Reports Staff Links

Recent Reports: Toxicopathic Liver Disease in English Sole Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program: 1989-1999 Sandra M. O'Neill 1, Mark Myers 2, Beth Horness 2, Greg Lippert 1, and Stephen Quinnell 1 Background The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), as part of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program has monitored the occurrence of toxicopathic liver lesions (Figure 1) and contaminant levels in muscle and liver tissue in English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) at over 40 sites in Puget Sound. Lesion prevalence in English sole is monitored as a general indicator of contaminant-related fish health because research by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the WDFW has shown that although the risk of developing liver lesions increases with fish age, exposure to contaminated sediments particularly high molecular weight PAHs, is the main risk factor associated with developing lesions. Furthermore, reproductive impairment has also been observed in English sole at sampling sites with elevated occurrences of liver lesions. Objectives At 6 core sites, estimate risk of developing liver disease relative to baseline reference stations (non-urban sites sampled 1989-1993). Determine temporal trends in liver disease at six core sites (1989–1999). Statistical Methods Used logistic regression analysis to compare the risk of developing liver lesions at six core sites sampled annually between 1989 & 1999 against the risk of developing liver lesions at 19 non-urban, relatively uncontaminated reference sites, sampled between 1989 and 1993. Baseline risk at reference site was defined as 1.0. This method corrects for differences in fish age among sites. Core sites included two non-urban (Strait of Georgia and Hood Canal), one near-urban (Port Gardner) and three urban locations (Elliott Bay, Sinclair Inlet and Commencement Bay) - Figure 2 Conclusions For English sole, the risk of developing toxicopathic liver lesions increases with fish age and exposure to PAHs (concentration in sediments) and PCBs (concentration in liver tissue). - Figure 3 Sediment PAH contamination was highest at urban sites, intermediate at near-urban sites and lowest at non-urban sites. - Figure 4 Relative to baseline reference sites, the risk of developing liver disease was highest at 2 urban bays (Elliott and Commencement), intermediate at Sinclair Inlet and Port Gardner, and lowest at 2 non-urban sites (Strait of Georgia & Hood Canal). - Figure 5 The risk of developing liver disease increased in fish sampled along the Seattle Waterfront between 1989 and 1998, though the 1999 sample did not maintain this trend. - Figure 6 Future sampling will reveal whether the 1999 results were an aberration or a reversal of the trend. Within Elliott Bay, the risk of developing liver disease was greatest in fish from the Duwamish River and the Seattle Waterfront. - Figure 7 Sampling sites where more fish have liver disease also have more reproductively impaired fish. - Figure 8 1 Washington Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Fish Unit, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 2 National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Environmental Conservation Division, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E., Seattle, WA, 98112 Back to Reports Index