Developing: Bridge Collapses Near Seattle…Unknown Injuries…See the Photos

Watch Today’s BlazeCast With Your Questions, Comments & Live Chat!

Science

Yikes! Fish Caught Close to Fukushima Site Is Massively Radioactive

Jan. 19, 2013 5:45pm

A fish with radiation levels more than 2,500 times the allowed maximum was caught this week in the waters off Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

The discovery, which comes just weeks before the two-year anniversary of the nuclear disaster, has sparked considerable concern about the safety of the local food supply.

Highly Radioactive Fish Caught Near Fukushima Two years after the disaster

This fish, caught off the waters of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, has radiation levels more than 2,500 times the allowed maximum. (Image: Lemonde.fr)

The fish (above) is a murasoi, which typically lives in shallow waters near reefs in the region. When this one was caught and tested by the Tokyo Electric Power Company the results were astounding.

The maximum level of radiation allowed in foods for human consumption is 100 becquerels/kilogram.  The murasoi caught inside the 20 kilometer area near the plant — which is closed to humans — registered 254,000 becquerels cesium/kilogram. Again, that’s 2,500 times higher than the government-imposed limit. It is also 10 times higher than the radiation measured last August in scorpion fish caught near Fukushima.

Curiously, the murasoi specimen caught near Fukushima did not seem to show any major abnormalities in terms of its physical appearance. Here is what a typical, non-radioactive murasoi looks like:

Highly Radioactive Fish Caught Near Fukushima Two years after the disaster

Image: Lurebook.com

(We may have been expecting something more like the three-eyed “Blinky” that Bart Simpson caught near the Springfield nuclear power plant on “The Simpsons.”)

Highly Radioactive Fish Caught Near Fukushima Two years after the disaster

Image: 20th Century Fox Television

Scientists in the region are worried that other fish in the area are feeding off these and other contaminated species. TEPCO is installing a new series of nets beneath the surface of the water around the 20 kilometer perimeter in hopes of restricting the migration of the fish (and radiation) outside of the region.

If you are wondering about the term “becquerel” used to measure the radiation in the fish, so were we. Here’s your radiation fact of the day, from the Health Physics Society (www.hps.org):

Becquerel (BQ)

The unit of radioactive decay equal to one disintegration per second. The Becquerel is the basic unit of radioactivity used in the international system of radiation units, referred to as the “SI” units. 37 billion (3.7×1010) becquerels = 1 curie (Ci).
In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Comments (97)

1 2
  • The-Monk
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 9:29pm

    What this story failed to state is that the fish in the second photo is 6″ long and the one in the first photo is 9′ long….. LOL

    Report this comment

    The-Monk  
    • muffythetuffy
      Posted on January 19, 2013 at 11:26pm

      Why didn’t the fish die from the radiation? Was the fish caught near Heroshima I wonder.

      Report this comment

      muffythetuffy  
    • Chuck Stein
      Posted on January 19, 2013 at 11:42pm

      “Curiously, the murasoi specimen caught near Fukushima did not seem to show any major abnormalities in terms of its physical appearance.”
      What IF the government levels are “low ball” limits? And, no, I’m not interested in eating that fish, Mrs. Simpson.

      Report this comment

      Chuck Stein  
    • sillyfreshness
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 1:06am

      Maybe the power plant is leaking more radiation than they think.

      Report this comment

      sillyfreshness  
    • SUNTZU
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 1:42am

      That fish use to be someones
      pet cat———fish???????

      Report this comment

      SUNTZU  
    • Advection
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 2:55am

      The Japanese have done it again!

      This is the worlds first self-cooking fish!

      Report this comment

      Advection  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 5:48am

      Hi Advection,

      OK… that’s just too funny. : )

      Report this comment

      The-Monk  
    • Melika
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 6:55am

      The fish didn’t die because it may not be susceptible to cancers or the radiation (given that water amplifies radiation, it may be genetic). It’s a much simpler organism than humans or other mammals. Life is teeming around the Bikini islands, but the plants and lower organisms that eat on those plants, are very much radioactive. The idea that plants will respond negatively to radiation is a bit far fetched as their primary food source is radiation, but that’s another line of thought.

      The Uranium used in power generation has a half life twice the age of the planet, so those barrels rated for 100 years are going to work out just great. But everybody remember, nuclear power is the safest and cleanest source of energy we have, Hannity said so. We generate the power and pollution of space, down beneath the Earth’s protective shield designed to stop those deadly rays, so nothing can go wrong with that plan.

      I’m just so happy everyone has comic book / Star Trek science to depend on. When we finally defeat Big Oil., we’ll all have Arc Generators, Solar Power, and Dilithium reactors in our back yards producing all the energy we want. Until then, let’s go with the MOST dangerous polluter to the planet – the one that will actually kill life on it – nuclear. If we can’t see pollution, it must not be there.

      Melika  
    • ICSPADES
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 7:31am

      Dang Monk, then give me a shot of that radiation.:)

      Report this comment

      ICSPADES  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 10:22am

      …and if you wait a few minutes….it’ll SELF-COOK !!

      Report this comment

      G-WHIZ  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 2:33pm

      DAG NAB-IT…My SUSHI is COOKED!!!

      Report this comment

      banjarmon  
    • boomboom
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 2:56pm

      Now, that was a good one…LOL.

      Report this comment

      boomboom  
    • Chuck Stein
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 7:12pm

      Thanks, Melika, for the longest post on the thread — and also the one shortest on facts. Eg: “The Uranium used in power generation has a half life twice the age of the planet, so those barrels rated for 100 years are going to work out just great.” As IF it is Uranium that is the issue in nuclear waste! The radioactivity of an isotope is the INVERSE of its half life. It is fission products and transuranic elements that are the issue in waste disposal.

      Report this comment

      Chuck Stein  
    • rickc34
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 8:32pm

      Portable power fish for those long fishing trips, but where is the plug in? will it power my microwave

      Report this comment

      rickc34  
    • pavepaws
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 8:53pm

      So the fish cooks itself?

      Report this comment

      pavepaws  
    • Gorp
      Posted on January 21, 2013 at 12:43am

      I think this is great. You can catch a fish that’s already cooked.

      Report this comment

      Gorp  
    • Rational Db8
      Posted on January 21, 2013 at 3:04am

      @muffythetuffy – Hiroshima and Nagasaki both are thriving major metropolitan cities and have been for some time. Some fabulous photos here, including a few after the bomb dropped, and a number that are recent: http://frontpagemag.com/2012/david-horowitz/call-it-hiroshima-and-detroit-the-damage-democrats-do-to-the-poor-lasts-longer-than-a-nuclear-bomb/ There are even gardens/park/memorial at ground zero in both cities today, that you can walk right up to completely safely.

      Warning, a few graphic images of bomb effects on people also at this link, but scroll down to see the memorial, present day and the surrounding area: Hiroshima: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/08/hiroshima_64_years_ago.html

      and for a photo of ground zero monument at Nagasaki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_zero

      Report this comment

      Rational Db8  
    • Rational Db8
      Posted on January 21, 2013 at 3:26am

      @melika – You are terribly misinformed. “Simpler” organisms aren’t more resistant to radiation damage. Fish are definitely susceptible, just as are other lifeforms, if the radiation levels are high enough. Plants are too – and the fact that they use photosynthesis has nothing to do with radiation resistance, any more than the fact that we make the essential vitamin D from sun exposure to our skin does. Plus, water doesn’t in any way “amplify” radiation – it moderates it. Put very simply, it just slows the passage a little, and scatters the direction of travel. Water in no way increases radiation levels. Particulate radiation ingested or inhaled is another issue entirely – that’s what caused this fish to be radioactive.

      “Radiation limits” placed on foodstuff is based on calculations that assume the particular item, in this case that fish, is the only food eaten every single day for about 20 years or so – and as if the current radiation level in that food stayed the same that entire time – which is grossly incorrect, because radiation decays, much of it very rapidly. For example, radioactive iodine is essentially gone within about 85 days, no matter how much was there initially. So they assume that’s the only food you eat and they assume you also get the max possible radiation from all other sources at the same time.

      In other words, the rad level in the fish wasn’t high enough to hurt it. You just wouldn’t want to eat fish like that & nothing else for the

      Report this comment

      Rational Db8  
    • 65Mustang
      Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:16am

      MELIKA: dream on.

      Report this comment

      65Mustang  
  • Southernsoul
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 9:27pm

    I saw thst movie. Typical low-budget, Japanese monster flick.

    Report this comment

    Southernsoul  
  • RamonPreston
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 9:07pm

    Last summer I bought 5 rolls of duct tape. When Fukushima blows (it is NOT contained) it will spread radioactive dust all over the earth. I am ready to duct tape up all my windows. When it blows you won’t be able to buy duct tape, the shelves will be empty. Might buy a few more rolls … now while I can.

    Report this comment

    RamonPreston  
    • betterpart
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 4:17am

      Hmm…not a bad idea. Something to think (quickly) about.

      Report this comment

      betterpart  
    • Rational Db8
      Posted on January 21, 2013 at 3:41am

      ROFL! The cores are cool at this point – there’s no way they can “blow.” Even if they had initially been far worse than they were, the rest of the world wouldn’t have gotten any significant radiation increase, and sure not enough to even begin to think of taping windows. Don’t you realize there’ve been over 2000 nuclear bombs tested between 1948 & 1998? Fukushima is nothing compared to that. Just search youtube for: Nuclear Detonation Timeline “1945-1998″

      Report this comment

      Rational Db8  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:57pm

    It’s time to ban high capacity military style assault Tsunami’s….

    Report this comment

    The-Monk  
  • newspapertaxis
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:44pm

    Did they use live bait, cut bait or a jig to catch it?

    Report this comment

    newspapertaxis  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:10pm

    This could have been avoided if the UN Agenda 21 project was protecting those Nuclear Reactors.

    (end sarcasm)

    Report this comment

    The-Monk  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:09pm

    Radio Active Fish Sticks:

    Ingredients:
    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    1 egg, beaten
    1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon paprika
    1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
    3/4 pound murasoi fillets, cut into 1-inch strips
    1/2 cup Nuclear Waste

    Directions:
    Place flour and egg in separate shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings. Dip murasoi in the flour, then egg, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet coated with Nuclear Waste. Spritz fish sticks with Nuclear Waste. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until murasoi flakes easily with a fork, turning once. Yield: 2 servings.

    Report this comment

    Eastinfection  
  • Rayblue
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:05pm

    Blinkyzilla.

    Report this comment

    Rayblue  
  • Minnaloushe
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 7:14pm

    I think this fish should be served as a last supper to whoever wrote the commenting system for The Blaze. Afterwards, they should be partially hanged, drawn, quartered, run through a wood chipper, incinerated in a blast furnace using mole dung and acetylene, pulverized, and the remaining ashes mixed with salt and crop-dusted across the most remote and desolate barrens in Antarctica so that The Four Winds might never carry said remains to even the furthest-flung shores of any civil society. The pilot had best be kamikaze, and we commend his soul to the Light where he shall dwell forever and ever in Glory for his selfless sacrifice.

    Report this comment

    Minnaloushe  
    • Motorsports-X
      Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:12pm

      agreed.. im starting to have a problem with glen beck completely… he talks about keeping freedom.. yet tells us not to fight gun control… he says he beleives free speech and then puts restrictions and monitoring on comments…starting to look like a hypocrit to me.

      Report this comment

      Motorsports-X  
    • ree758
      Posted on January 19, 2013 at 9:39pm

      Glenn Beck and Pat and Stu are cowards they know the election was covered in fraud but won’t talk about it.All that talk about he would give up his fortune just to make things right is just nice sounding talk.We stop voter fraud Obama and alot of life long Senators are gone.

      Report this comment

      ree758  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 10:31am

      The O’berrie anigunlobby is just waiting for that little spark of physical-resistance! Then The O’gubment will be happy to crush you into pink-slime with E.Witholder at thefront ofthe charge!!

      Report this comment

      G-WHIZ  
    • 4BlueStars
      Posted on January 20, 2013 at 11:13am

      The most user un-friendly board on the net. It is really frustrating. You have virtually two choices: Be one of the first to comment, or start a new thread. Otherwise it is lost in the jumble.

      Report this comment

      4BlueStars  
  • GuruMeditation
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 7:07pm

    Sad

    Report this comment

    GuruMeditation  
  • Minnaloushe
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 7:03pm

    If this is just getting worse and worse, then no one henceforth should have a bucket list that has anything on it other than *names*.

    Report this comment

    Minnaloushe  
  • lassiegirldawn
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:52pm

    The Bible states that all the fish in the sea will die in end times.

    Report this comment

    lassiegirldawn  
    • Greenwood
      Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:47pm

      I would like to know where the bible speaks of that. Revelation 21:1 “the sea is no more” for instance is referring to wicked people. also see Isaiah 57:20, 17:12 and Luke 21:25 The bible often uses symbols. When speaking about people the bible uses world, earth, and sea just to name a few.

      Report this comment

      Greenwood  
  • bankerpapaw
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:40pm

    Look on the positive side: you don’t even have to cook this thing.

    Report this comment

    bankerpapaw  
  • psadie
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:36pm

    WHY is anyone surprised at this? Polar bears in Alaska are missing fur, seals off the California coast have skin lesions. Sooooooo what do you think is happening to the fish that we eat from the Pacific? The US government knows about this but is not warning the public. Try to eat fish from the Atlantic until something show up there. OR buy one of those radiation monitors and use them at the grocery store. That will shake them up.

    Report this comment

    psadie  
  • lassiegirldawn
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:30pm

    Who would have thought this with 100,000 gallons of water going in and out to cool the rods each day. This is 24hours a day 7 days a week for two years. I figure around 806400000 gallons of contaminated water has been washed into the Pacific Ocean.

    Report this comment

    lassiegirldawn  
    • THERAPTURCOMES
      Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:36pm

      Anyone remember the warning from the bible?

      WORMWOOD

      The resurrection/rapture is at hand http://youtu.be/ahEVxIzlxwo

      You only chance of escape is to believe the gospel

      Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

      10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

      Believe upon Christ before it is to late

      Report this comment

      THERAPTURCOMES  
  • Spitfire1938
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:12pm

    On the other hand ‘Sashimi’ always served ‘raw’ and ‘cold’ can be advertised as delicious “HOT” Sashimi and still be cold and raw!!!

    Report this comment

    Spitfire1938  
  • CanteenBoy
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:12pm

    It really does need to be named, “Blinky” after the Simpson’s fish!

    Report this comment

    CanteenBoy  
  • barber2
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:09pm

    Wow. Who would have thought…

    Report this comment

    barber2  
  • valleyfever
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:08pm

    Holy Becquerel !!!

    Report this comment

    valleyfever  
  • DougHuffman
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:05pm

    If it was easy everyone could do radiation health physics.

    Report this comment

    DougHuffman  
  • soybomb315_II
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:04pm

    they say the rest of Japan is unaffected but i dont believe them for a second

    Report this comment

    soybomb315_II  
  • Spitfire1938
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 6:03pm

    Ooopps sorry…. I accidently took a reading of my DIVE WATCH……

    Report this comment

    Spitfire1938  
  • SIXFRIGATES
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 5:59pm

    The most amazing part is when the fish started singing, “Take me to the river!”…

    Report this comment

    SIXFRIGATES  
  • gyro
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 5:55pm

    This is missleading
    to get a proper reading you have to disect the fish and check the body parts were fat (fish fat) is stored
    compare that to a part of the fish that is short turm(Fish poo)
    how the sample is measured will tell how the fish lives or did it just eat a radioactive rock
    But then
    blame it on bush works to ?

    Report this comment

    gyro  
  • BlackCrow
    Posted on January 19, 2013 at 5:55pm

    Godzilla fish?

    Report this comment

    BlackCrow  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love