endosulfan, beta-cyfluthrin and carbendazim are sold by Bayer
Sunshine Coast Daily (Australia), 16 March 2010
Chemical cocktail mutated fish
AN inquiry into the discovery of two-headed fish at a Noosa River hatchery has found proof the deformities were caused by agricultural chemicals, according to media reports.
Inquiry taskforce member Dr Matt Landos has been reported as saying the report, due to the&
- 8194;be released soon, would show the mutations found at Sunland Fish Hatchery were result of a toxic cocktail including carbendazim, nonylphenol, beta-cyfluthrin, methidathion, trichlorfon, methoxyfenozide, atrazine and endosulfan.
All are approved individually for use in Australia.
A University of Sydney honorary lecturer and research assistant, Dr Landos was invited on to the inquiry taskforce by Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin to “send a clear message we want to get to the bottom of this matter and all possible causes will be considered.
Dr Landos has now been reported as saying he decided to speak out before the release of the report because he feared the material would be toned down or withheld from the final document.
Fish were found with two heads, no eyes or short tails and Dr Landos was quoted as saying the taskforce evaluated other possible reasons for the mutations, including heat shock and oxygen stress, but they were considered unlikely.
When the fish were protected from spray this season and spawned off-site in uncontaminated water, normal batches were produced, he said.
Dr Landos and Sunland Fish Hatchery owner Gwen Gilson have unsuccessfully called for a moratorium on chemical spraying at nearby farms until the causes of the mutations are established.
Sky News (Australia), January 13, 2009
Something Fishy Going On In Oz?
The discovery of two-headed fish in Australia has sparked fears of chemical contamination.
Agricultural farm chemicals are under scrutiny after fish in Queensland‚s Noosa River hatched with two heads.
One grower has lost millions of Australian bass which died within 48 hours of being hatched with severe deformities.
A neighbouring macadamia nut farm is reportedly being examined as part of an investigation by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F).
It is suspected chemicals used on the farm, while approved for use in Australia, may have caused the deformities but there is no conclusive evidence linking the farm to the two-headed fish.
Farm chemicals such as endosulfan, which is banned in other parts of the world, is still used in Australia and has been previously linked to fish deaths.
Former New South Wales fisheries scientist and aquaculture veterinarian Matt Landos has called on the government to ban the chemicals and urgently find replacements.
He told Australia‘s Courier Mail around 90% of larvae spawned at the Sunland Fish Hatchery from bass taken from the river were deformed and all died within two days.
„It certainly looks like the fish have been exposed to something in the river,“ Dr Landos said.
„I wouldn‚t like to be having kids and living next to a place that uses
these chemicals and I wouldn‘t like to be drinking tank water where they
are in use.“
Hatchery owner Gwen Gilson blames chemicals used by macadamia farmers
near her Boreen Point business for the deformities.
„Some embryos split into two heads, some had two equal heads and a small
tail and some had one big long head and a small tail coming out of the
head,“ she said.