Trauma to Juvenile Pinfish and Spot Inflicted by Submarine Detonations

Abstract

Juvenile pinfish Lagodon rhomboides and spot Leiostomus xanthurus exposed to pressure waves emanating from experimental submarine detonations exhibited both sublethal and probable antemortem trauma. Hyperemia within the swim bladder and liver, hematuria, coagulative liver necrosis, and rupture of the pancreas were the most recurrent and significant traumas evident from histopathological examination and were directly attributed to exposure to pressure waves. These traumas were probably caused by the rapid compression and expansion of the swim bladder as the impulse passed. Of these traumas, hyperemia within visceral organs and hematuria are probably sublethal. Rupture of the pancreas and coagulative liver necrosis are typically irreversible and hence probably antemortem.

Recovery of Barotrauma Injuries Resulting from Exposure to Pile Driving Sound in Two Sizes of Hybrid Striped Bass

“…It has been suggested that fishes of less than 2 g are more likely to be susceptible to effects of pile driving than larger fish [1,9,10]. This hypothesis was based on studies that investigated effects of underwater explosions and suggested that smaller fish had more severe injuries than larger fish of the same species [11,12]. However, the relationship between effects of explosions vs. effects of acoustic signals is not clear, and so it is important to test this hypothesis using sound.…”

Ecology of fish hearing

“…Physical injury to the vestibular, reproductive and nervous systems, although potentially lethal, is rare (Erbe, ) and the injured animals would have to be very close to the noise source for physical damage to tissues and organs to occur (Dooling et al, ). There have been several reports documenting fish mortality within proximity to pile driving sources or explosions but none in relation to shipping noise (Govoni et al ., ; Hawkins et al ., ; Keevin & Hempen, ; Popper & Hastings, ; Yelverton et al ., ). For example, when juvenile chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum 1792) were exposed to impulsive sounds (177–210 dB re 1 μPa), the observed injuries ranged from mild haematomas at the lowest sound exposure levels to organ haemorrhage at the highest sound exposure levels (Halvorsen et al ., ).…”

Characterization of underwater sounds produced by hydraulic and mechanical dredging operations

“…Pile driving can produce sounds that exceed 180 dB. Gas oscillations induced by high sound pressure levels can cause the swim bladder to tear or rupture (Govoni et al, 2003;Govoni et al, 2008). Engas et al (1996) reported a significant reduction in catch rates of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) for up to 5 days after seismic surveys.…”