195 , SESSION IV BUSTAD: But in spite of these high levels the only damage that was observed in the fish rrom the radionuclides wags in the thyroiz, wasn't it? DONALDSON: BUSTAD: Yes. Now, do you have any later -results than that of Gorbman (Reference 38)? I think you lined him up to come out and study these and he did describe pretty serious thyroid damage in some of these fish. . DONALDSON: Yes. BUSTAD: Have you run across any fish in later times in your collections that might have manifested thyroid neoplasms, say? DONALDSON: I think so, BUSTAD: Because the stage was set for it, sort of. DONALDSON: BUSTAD: Yes, the stage was set. Or couldn't they compete? Is that it? DONALDSON: We have looked diligently over the ycars but we haven't actually seen or found fish that we could say were specifically killed by thyroid damage or damage from radioactivity to otner organs or tissues. There's a complex situation here as far as the fish are concerned. No matter what the radiation levels are, no matter what the peripheral problems are, the "cleanup squad" moves in al" most immediately and removes the incapacitated fish. This means that a fish that is just slightly weakened or disabled is removed within minutes, at least within an hour or so, Sharks move in and scavenge these places with great regularity. If it isn't the sharks, then it's some of the other predaceous forms, Thus, one's chance of actually finding or seeing a fish or an aquatic anima! that has radiation damage would be very remote. AYRES: Are there any top carnivora chat might survive, like sharks themselves, even if they are somewhat damaged? BUSTAD: The problem there, as far as radioiodine goes, is that they show the lowest concentration. They're not really getting very much radioiodine compared to herbivorous animals,