Results
Greee Beta Radicactivity
Table | shows gross leve:s of beta radioactivity in the flehee during
July 1937.
the fish i.
Of the three islands visited the highest levels were found in
ue from Kabelle Island.
In all cases, for comparable
tise
-1@ least radioactivity was found in fish collected near Rongelap
Island.
Radioactivity in muscle tissue of fish from Enibuk Island,
Ailinginae Atoll, was as great or greater than that of Kabelle Isiand.
Comparatively minor differences are seen in the levels of radicac-
tivity in similar tissues of omnivorous and carnivorous fishes from
Rongelap Island, except for stomach contents.
The presence of algae
in the stomachs of many omnivorous fish would account for the higher
levels in these fishes.
Two species, the goatfish and the halfbeak, were taken in sufficient
quantities for separate analyses
The goatfish feeds on small inverte-
sentsee geen.
brates, principally crustacea, of the sandy bottom areas.
Levels of
radioactivity in the stomach contents and liver of these fish were much
higher than in other fish of the same area, however, radioactivity in
muscle tissue was not much higher
The halfoeaks from Kabelie Isiand
had about the same amount of radioactivity as fish fron. Rongelap. reflecting, perhaps, a different feeding habit than that of other fish of Kabelle
Island.
The halfbeak normally feeds at the
surface on macroglankton ,