are considerably greater in the Bikini-Eniwetok area than
elsewhere
in the ocean,
the effects would be
likely to be
more evident.
.-.-Dead fish have been observed in the vicinity of
the detonation of nuclear devices at Bikini-Eniwetok,
and although the cause of death was not known for
sure,
it is reasonable to believe the cause was more
likely to have been from blast effects or radiation
released at the instant of the detonation than from
the radioisotopes in water.
effects of blast and heat,
In the absence of the
death to fish from
ionizing radiations could be expected in the immediate
vicinity of the detonation of a large device.
However,
if death resulted solely from radioactivity in water,
mortalities would be expected to occur over an extended
period of time and area,
been observed.
but this condition has not
Although it is recognized that obser-
vations of dying fish may not be apparent because of
the removal by predators of fish in a weakened condition,
it is believed that the amount of radioactivity
in water necessary to kill fish directly would have to
be greater than the amount of radioactivity that has
occurred in the water in the vicinity of Bikini-Eniwetok.
If fish survive exposure to ionizing radiations
there still may be non-lethal effects in the form of
pathological or genetic damage from either external or
internal emitters.
Eniwetok area,
Again referring to the Bikini-
thousands of fish have been examined for
gross pathological and morphological changes but no