t t 
■ . • "i * - 
* v* 
Ho fish taken between Able Day and Baker Day revealed any 
7 * 
radioactivity* 
Wo have been informed that a number of the fishes after Baker ^ay 
have reoeived a lethal dose of radioaotivity but that they will not suocumb 
until 2 to 4 months after the time of exposure* Consequently it becomes 
imperative, that if the overall effect upon the reef fish// populations is 
to be known* the contaminated areas will have to be reexamined during 
1947* and perhaps again subsequent to t;at date* If such examination is 
made it is probable that it will be discovered that within the most 
heavily contaminated area* Amen to Bikini reef, certain species may have 
dropped out of the population and that only those speoies will remain whJ.ch 
dll not receive either an initial lethal dose or subsequent lethal dose 
through ingestion of contaminated food* 
Perhaps the greatest effect of radioactivity on the reef and 
CZriQ. a/\a / 
lagoon fishes of Bikini Atoll will be to render a tessge percentage of them 
sterile* If such occurs then the relative abundance of the reef fishes may 
decline most in the next few years* showing up notably in 1948 or 1948* 
Radioactive contamination of the reef fishes in the Bikini Area 
siay occur in the following manner* (l) Direct oontact with the radioactive 
rv ’ 
wa ter* (2) Indirectly through ingestion of contaminated food* In the 
latter case herbivorous fishes feeding upon algae and other plants that 
< ' v v * ; ? »!? : ' t&f■'* Y / ‘ t i- , , ' ' \ r % , 
are radio&otive may concentrate the radioactive materials* These fishes 
may in turn be fed upon by the larger carnivorous animals imparting 
their radioactivity to the predators* As soon as any fish shows the 
8 lightest debility it is immediately preyed upon by the oarnivorous fishes 
or other marine animals* Thus radioactive substances oould be concentrated 
in oertain fishes and theoretically the carnivore are the last to be 
affected* 
