RADIOACTIVITY IN THE REEF FISHES OF BELLE
ISLAND, ENIWETOK ATOLL, APRIL
1954 TO NOVEMBER 1955

Introduction

Previous

studies of the radioactivity in the fishes

in the

Marshall Islands have been confined to single surveys made soon
after &8n atomic detonation,

occasionally followed by one to

three resurveys a few months up to three years later (UWFL-7,

UWFL-16, UWFL-19, UWFL-23, WT-616 (UWFL-33), and UWFL-43 ).
Trends

in the levels or decline of radioactivity in the fish

populations could only be estimated by basing assumptions on
physical decay.
The

purpose

of this

investigation was

or decline of radioactivity in the fish,
in different species,
the

environment and

to measure

the

to compare the decline

in some of the organs or tissues,

to compare

trend

the decline with the

and in

physical

decay of radioactivity.

Materials and Methods

Continuous,

sequential studies of the amounts of radioactiv-

ity in the reef fishes of Belle

(Bogombogo)

Atoll,

1954,

were made from April 14,

Island, Eniwetok

through November 1,

1955,

during and after the weapons testing program at Eniwetok and
Bikini Atolls.

The Nectar

important in these studies,

shot of May 14,

1954,

wag

the most

since the detonation occurred but

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