Say goodbye to wild fish if we don't change our habits. By Geniusofdespair

An important study was released last month: Collapse of a fish population after exposure to a synthetic estrogen. This is just the beginning. As we begin to drink and bathe in reuse water, we too may be affected by endocrine disruptors and emerging pollutants of concern (EPOC'S) like the fish. See my previous post on reuse water. And it is not the wave of the future: Palm Beach just put reuse water on their wellfields this year (without informing the public). I wrote about that June 17th.

You can read the whole study it is very interesting but this paragraph from it sums it up:

The results from this whole-lake experiment demonstrate that continued inputs of natural and synthetic estrogens and estrogen mimics to the aquatic environment in municipal wastewaters could decrease the reproductive success and sustainability of fish populations. Chronic exposure of fathead minnow to a potent synthetic estrogen led to feminization of males through production of VTG mRNA and protein, continued production of VTG in females beyond the normal breeding season, impacts on gonadal development, as evidenced by intersex in males and altered oogenesis in females, and a near extinction of this species from the lake. Likely because of its short life-cycle, the fathead minnow was the first to show population collapse in this experiment. This response implies that short-lived fish species may generally be at greatest risk from exposure to estrogens and their mimics, but chronic exposure of longer-lived species to these substances may result in the loss of these populations as well.

Note, they said: NEAR EXTINCTION OF A SPECIES - POPULATION COLLAPSE, Scray stuff.

If you don’t want to wade through a well documented scientfic paper, try this link. A mystery of fish mortality on the MSNBC website. The article states:
“Last year, a James Madison University researcher estimated that the gruesome kills had scared 2,100 fishermen from the Shenandoah area, at a cost of $686,000 to the local economy and the state.”

Later in the article the author state:

“....Vicki S. Blazer, a researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey, said a major factor could be manure washed down from the chicken and cattle farms that dot the Shenandoah Valley. Animal waste carries hormones, such as estrogen, that can cause immune problems in fish.”

"It overwhelms the fish, is my feeling. But we don't have any proof of that yet," Blazer said.

One piece of evidence supporting this theory is the "intersex" fish found in some of the same rivers: male bass are growing eggs, possibly because of hormone-rich pollution.”

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE OTHER STUDY SAID.

FISHERMEN: We need you to take the lead on saving the fish population from human and animal runoff!