FISH

The  Nuclear  Accident  in  Japan:  

Impacts  on  Fish
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W hen an earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated Japan’s northeastern

coast on March 11, 2011, a nuclear crisis began unfolding at the Tokyo Electric
Power Company’s (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi plant.1 The Japanese government
estimates it could be several months before the cooling systems, damaged by the
natural disasters, are fully functional.2 In an effort to thwart a nuclear meltdown at
the plant while the cooling system is damaged, hundreds of tons of water has been
sprayed into four of the six reactors to cool fuel rods and spent fuel.3 The radioactive
water is pooling in various locations around the plant, inhibiting work to bring the
damaged cooling systems back into operation.4

Releases to the Environment

As explained by the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio
Edano, “…the longer this continues, the more radioactive
particles will be released and the greater the impact on the

photo courtesy of NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, SeaWiFS Project and ORBIMAGE
ocean.”5

To clear the way for workers and create more storage

room for highly radioactive water, TEPCO pumped ap-
proximately 3 million gallons of water contaminated with
SV^SL]LSYHKPH[PVUPU[V[OL7HJPÄJ6JLHU6 The water that
was dumped contains about 100 times the legal limit of
radiation, while the highly contaminated water remaining
in the plant contains 10,000 times the legal limit.7

On April 2, 2011 workers discovered a nearly eight-inch-

long crack in the side of a pit holding water in reactor two
at the plant8 and found that radioactive water leaking from
[OLJYHJR^HZY\UUPUNKPYLJ[S`PU[V[OL7HJPÄJ6JLHU9
It is estimated that 1,680 gallons of highly radioactive
water rushed out of the crack every hour, directly into the
ocean.10 On April 5, 2011 attempts to plug the leak were
reported to be successful.11

Several types of radioactive materials are being released

into the environment from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi
plant. The different types of radioactive material degrade at
various rates; some persist in the environment longer than
others.12 Degradation of radioactive material is measured
using its half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the
material to degrade.13 Radioactive iodine (iodine-131) has
a half-life of eight days.14 Radioactive cesium (cesium-137) least six months.29 Knowing this biological half-life, re-
has a half-life of 30 years.15 searchers are able to determine where an individual animal
has traveled and eaten prey from contaminated waters.30
Scientists are voicing concern about the potential long-
term impacts from the cesium-137 being released from the
plant, as well as the risk that contact with the most con- Food Chain Accumulation
taminated water would lead to “immediate injury.”16 One Direct contact with water is a factor in the uptake of radio-
expert, Kenya Mizuguchi, professor emeritus of Maritime active material for all seafood. But in addition to taking up
Science and Technology at Tokyo University, said, “We’re YHKPVHJ[P]P[`MYVT[OL^H[LYJHYUP]VYV\ZÄZOHSZVPUNLZ[[OL
seeing the levels of radioactive materials in the water in- YHKPVHJ[P]P[`MYVT[OLIVKPLZVM[OLZTHSSLYWYL`ÄZO[OL`
crease, which means this problem is going to continue LH[;OLOPNOLY\WVU[OLMVVKJOHPUHÄZOPZ[OLTVYL
to get worse and worse.”17 [OLZLJVU[HTPUH[LKWYL`ÄZOJHUPUJYLHZL[OLYHKPVHJ[P]L
material in its body.31 The discovery of radioactive material
No Safe Level PUWYL`ÄZOZ\JOHZ[OLZHUKSHUJLPU^H[LYZULHY[OLHJ-
JPKLU[ZP[LHSZVYHPZLZJVUJLYUHIV\[ZWLJPLZVMÄZO[OH[HYL
While much of the coverage of the impacts from the higher up the food chain, like tuna.32
nuclear disaster are accompanied by reassurances about
low levels of exposure, there is no “safe” level of radiation (Z[\K`PU]LZ[PNH[PUNTHUNYV]LZUHWWLYHMVVKÄZO
exposure. The full impact of the Japanese nuclear crisis re- native to Japan that is high on the food chain33) showed
mains to be seen, but the health risks posed by radioactive that cesium-137 could be accumulated up the food chain,
contamination are well-documented. In 2006, the National resulting in higher concentration of cesium-137 in the
(JHKLTPLZVM:JPLUJLPZZ\LKHKLÄUP[P]LYLWVY[VUYHKPH- WYLKH[VYÄZO[OHUPU[OLZ\YYV\UKPUN^H[LYZ34
tion exposure that concluded that even low levels of radia-
tion can cause human health problems, including cancer, Fish can expel radioactive material over time.35 Ce-
and called for further investigation on potential links be- sium-137 can be retained in the muscle tissue of a living
tween low-level radiation exposure and heart disease and THYPULÄZOMVY[VKH`Z"[OPZPZYLMLYYLK[VHZ[OL
immune disorders.18 Children are especially susceptible to biological retention half-life.36 The range in biological
the impact of foodborne exposure to radioactive materials, retention half-life may be attributed to the temperature of
[OL^H[LYPU^OPJOHÄZOYLZPKLZ370MHÄZOPZJH\NO[HUK
making safeguards for food and water particularly critical.19
killed for market, it will not be able to expel the radioac-
tive materials in the biological half-life timeframe and the
Radiation in Fish cesium will break down as it would in the environment,
(UVÄZOPUNaVULOHZILLULZ[HISPZOLKMVYTPSLZHYV\UK with a 30-year half-life.
the plant.20*VU[HTPUH[LKÄZOOH]LILLUMV\UKHIV\[
miles from the plant.21 On March 29, 2011, a low level of Standards
JLZP\T^HZKL[LJ[LKPUÄZOJH\NO[MYVTHWVY[PU[OL
Chiba prefecture, south of Fukushima.22 On April 1, 2011, On April 5, 2011, the Japanese government established
before the proposed 3 million gallons of low-level radioac- YHKPH[PVUZ[HUKHYKZMVYÄZOMVY[OLÄYZ[[PTL The new
38

[P]L^H[LY^HZK\TWLKPU[V[OL7HJPÄJ6JLHUHZTHSSÄZO SPTP[ZMVYÄZOHYL[OLZHTLHZ[OLSPTP[ZLZ[HISPZOLKMVY
was caught approximately 40 miles from the plant with
unsafe levels of iodine-131 and cesium-137.23
Radiation and Marine Life
0UHKKP[PVU[VÄZOV[OLYTHYPULSPMLJHUILHMMLJ[LKI`
radiation. A 2000 study investigating radioactive material
in seaweed found traces of cesium-137 in two samples —
one from Norway and the other from Japan.24 The authors
of this study indicated that these levels might be a product
of the radiation discharged from Chernobyl, 14 years after
the accident.25 Some algae have been shown to accumu-
late radioactive iodine and technetium,26 a metal that is a
byproduct of nuclear reactors. The United States imported
over 1.2 million pounds of seaweed and algae from Japan
in 2010.27
The accumulated level of cesium-137 in muscle tissue of
whales has been used to trace the migratory patterns of
individual animals.28 In an animal weighing six tons, ce-
sium-137 is likely to have a biological half-life of at
vegetables.39;OLNV]LYUTLU[ZL[[OLZLSPTP[ZHM[LYÄZO
from several locations were found to have detectable
levels of radiation.40;OLÄZO[OH[^LYLJH\NO[VU(WYPS
2011, before the new regulations were established, would
OH]LX\HSPÄLKHZ\UZHMLMVYJVUZ\TW[PVU\UKLY[OLUL^
standard.41
The U.S. Response
In 2010, the United States imported 35.5 million pounds
of seafood from Japan.42 On March 22, 2011, the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert regarding
all milk, milk products, fresh vegetables and fruits pro-
duced or manufactured from the region near the nuclear
plant, which means these products cannot enter the United
States.43 The FDA has said it will test seafood from the
region near the plant, but has not barred seafood from
entering the country.44 Unfortunately, the FDA inspects 2
percent of imported seafood on average every year,45 call-
ing into question how thorough the agency’s checks for
radiation can be.
Recommendations 24
The FDA should immediately ban all food (including
25
seafood) and water imports from Japan, expanding on the
FDA’s original step of restricting imports of milk and pro-
26
duce from the region near the accident site.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 27
and FDA work together to be sure that seafood caught in
28
United States and international waters is free of radioactive
contamination. Data generated by any monitoring program
29
should be made public.
Congress should provide adequate funding for the seafood 30
inspection, both at home and abroad, instead of attempting
to cut funding to both the United States Department of Ag- 
riculture and the FDA, which would weaken their ability to
32
meet their current obligations, even without the additional
burden posed by this nuclear accident.   ¸9HKPVHJ[P]LPVKPULMV\UKPUZVTL1HWHULZLÄZO¹Seafood Source. April 5,
  AOHV?PN\HUNL[HS¸)PVTHNUPÄJH[PVUVMYHKPVJLZP\TPUHTHYPULWPZJP]VYV\Z
Endnotes
1 Foster, Malcolm and Nakashima, Ryan. “Sea radiation is another blow to
1HWHU»ZÄZOLYTLU¹Associated Press. April 5, 2011.
33
2 Yamaguchi, Mari and Kageyama, Yuri. “Search for radiation leak desperate in
Japan.” Associated Press. April 4, 2011.

3 Tabuchi, Hiroko and Belson, Ken. “Japan Releases Low-Level Radioactive
Water Into Ocean.” The New York Times. April 4, 2011.
4 Yamaguchi, Mari and Kageyama, Yuri. “Search for radiation leak turns desper- 
ate in Japan.” Associated Press. April 4, 2011.
5 Yamaguchi, Mari and Kageyama, Yuri. “Search for radiation leak turns desper-
ate in Japan.” Associated Press. April 4, 2011. 
6 Dorell, Oren. “Japan plant pumps radioactive water into ocean.” USA TODAY.
April 5, 2011. 37
7 Tabuchi, Hiroko and Belson, Ken. “Japan Releases Low-Level Radioactive
Water Into Ocean.” The New York Times. April 4, 2011.
8 Updates of 2 April 2011 at International Atomic Energy Agency “Fukushima
Nuclear Accident Update Log.” Available at http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/ 38
news/tsunamiupdate01.html
9 Updates of 2 April 2011 at International Atomic Energy Agency “Fukushima 39
Nuclear Accident Update Log.” Available at http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/
news/tsunamiupdate01.html 
10 Tabuchi, Hiroko and Belson, Ken. “Japan Releases Low-Level Radioactive
Water Into Ocean.” The New York Times. April 4, 2011.
11 “Japan nuke plant plugs highly radioactive leak.” Associated Press. April 5,
2011. 41
12 EPA. “Radiation Protection – Half-Life.” Available at http://www.epa.gov/
YWK^LI\UKLYZ[HUKOHSÅPMLO[TS Accessed April 2, 2011. 42
13 EPA. “Radiation Protection – Half-Life.” Available at http://www.epa.gov/
YWK^LI\UKLYZ[HUKOHSÅPMLO[TS Accessed April 2, 2011. 43
14 EPA. “Radiation Protection – Iodine.” Available at http://www.epa.gov/rpd-
web00/radionuclides/iodine.html Accessed April 2, 2011.
44
15 EPA. “Radiation Protection – Cesium.” Available at http://www.epa.gov/rpd-
web00/radionuclides/cesium.html Accessed April 2, 2011.
16 “Japan sets new radiation safety level for seafood.” Associated Press. April 5, 
2011.
17 Tabuchi, Hiroko and Belson, Ken. “Japan Releases Low-Level Radioactive
Water Into Ocean.” The New York Times. April 4, 2011.
18 National Academies of Science. Board on Radiation Effects Research. “Health
Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation: BEIR VII Phase 2.
2006 at 6, 8, 10 and 151.
  <UP[LK5H[PVUZ:JPLU[PÄJ*VTTP[[LLVU[OL,MMLJ[ZVM([VTPJ9HKPH[PVU¸;OL
Chernobyl accident, UNSCEAR’s assessment of the radiation effects.” Available
at http://www.unscear.org/unscear/en/chernobyl.htmlHUKVUÄSL(JJLZZLK
March 31, 2011.
20 “Radiation levels in seawater off Japan plant spike to all-time highs.” CNN.
March 31, 2011.
21 “Japan sets new radiation safety level for seafood.” Associated Press. April 5,
2011.
22 Updates of 29 March 2011 at International Atomic Energy Agency “Fukushima
Nuclear Accident Update Log.” Available at http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/
news/tsunamiupdate01.html
23 Pollack, Andrew et al. “Company Says Radioactive Water Leak at Japan Plant Is
Plugged.” The New York Times. April 5, 2011.
Netten, C van et al. “Elemental and radioactive analysis of commercially
available seaweed.” The Science of the Total Environment. vol. 255. 2000 at
173-174.
Netten, C van et al. “Elemental and radioactive analysis of commercially
available seaweed.” The Science of the Total Environment. vol. 255 2000 at
173-174.
Updates of 29 March 2011 at International Atomic Energy Agency “Fukushima
Nuclear Accident Update Log.” Available at http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/
news/tsunamiupdate01.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Foreign Agriculture Service. Available at www.
fas.usda.gov accessed March 2011.
Born, Erik, et al. “Regional variation of caesium-137 in minke whales Balae-
noptera acutorostrata from West Greenland, the Northeast Atlantic and the
North Sea.” Polar Biology. vol. 25, 2000 at 908.
Born, Erik et al. “Regional variation of caesium-137 in minke whales Balaenop-
tera acutorostrata from West Greenland, the Northeast Atlantic and the North
Sea.” Polar Biology. vol. 25, 2000 at 909.
Born, Erik et al. “Regional variation of caesium-137 in minke whales Balaenop-
tera acutorostrata from West Greenland, the Northeast Atlantic and the North
Sea.” Polar Biology. vol. 25, 2000 at 907.
AOHV?PN\HUNL[HS¸)PVTHNUPÄJH[PVUVMYHKPVJLZP\TPUHTHYPULWPZJP]VYV\Z
ÄZO¹ Marine Ecology Progress Series. vol. 222, November 5, 2001 at 227.
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¸9HKPVHJ[P]LPVKPULMV\UKPUZVTL1HWHULZLÄZO¹Seafood Source. April 5,
2011.
“Japan sets new radiation safety level for seafood.” Associated Press. April 5,
2011.
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<UP[LK:[H[LZ.V]LYUTLU[(JJV\U[HIPSP[`6MÄJL-+(7YVNYHT*OHUNLZHUK
Better Collaboration among Key Federal Agencies Could Improve Detection
and Prevention.” (GAO-09-258). February 2009 at 19.
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