Mass Mortalities and Behaviour of Brook Trout and Juvenile Atlantic Salmon in a Stream Polluted by Agricultural Pesticides

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Saunders, J. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1969
• Subjects: General Medicine; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar; Prince Edward Island
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f69-063; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f69-063

After accidental spillage of the agricultural pesticides nabam and endrin into Mill River, Prince Edward Island, there were extensive mortalities among brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill)) and juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar Linnaeus). Surviving trout and salmon showed abnormal behaviour including unseasonal downstream movements in summer and unusual response to an electric field. The abnormal behaviour could provide a useful biological indicator of pollution by the pesticides.