Early Marine Salmon Injury Assessment in Prince William Sound. Fish/ShellfishStudy Number 4A. EXXON VALDEZ Oil Spill, State/Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Final Report

摘要

The authors investigated the effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and evaluatednatural environmental effects on the migration, growth, and survival of juvenile pink salmon during the first two months of marine residence in Prince William Sound using coded-wire tagged juveniles released from hatcheries in 1989-1991. Juveniles from Koernig Hatchery migrated from the nearby moderately-oiled area to the lightly-oiled southern coast of Knight Island in 1989; similar migration was not observed in 1990 and 1991. Exposure to hydrocarbons appeared to reduce the juvenile growth rate by 0.76 to 0.94% body weight per day in 1989, and was associated with a significantly greater (P<.05) frequency of cytochrome P4501A enzyme induction in moderately-oiled areas. Growth rate reduction likely caused a 1.7 to 2.2% reduction in survival to the adult stage among fish reared in oiled areas.