The Water Column Monitoring Programme 2013: Determining the biological effects of two offshore platforms on local fish populations
Research report
Date
2013Metadata
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Abstract
The biological effects of two offshore oil platforms on local fish populations were assessed as part of the Water Column
Monitoring (WCM) programme for 2013. Wild fish were caught with baited rod and line from within the 500 m safety zone
of the Veslefrikk and Oseberg Sør platforms during the summer of 2013. Ling, tusk and saithe were caught and sampled
from the Veslefrikk platform, whilst haddock, whiting and saithe were caught from the Oseberg Sør platform. Reference fish
were caught on a separate research cruise by trawling from a region of the North Sea less impacted by oil and gas activities
(around Egersund bank). Reference tusk were not obtained by trawl but caught by local fishermen from a coastal fjord using
long line. Contaminant body burden and a suite of biological effects endpoints were measured in all fish groups and included
DNA adducts, DNA strand breaks by comet assay, acetylcholine esterase inhibition (AChE), ethoxyresorufin 0-deethylase
levels (EROD), lysosomal membrane stability (LMS), histology, PAH metabolites, and PAH body burden. The biomarker
data were integrated using the integrated biological response index (IBR/n). Biological responses were observed in fish
species from both platforms compared to their respective reference groups with highest responses observed in tusk from the
Veslefrikk platform.
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