Lesions in fishes captured near drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Fish were collected near two actively drilling, petroleum-well platforms and from control areas near the Flower Garden Banks, a natural reef area in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver) occurred in gray triggerfish Balistes capriscus, creole-fish Paranthias furcifer, wenchman Pristipomoides aquilonaris and southern hake Urophycis floridana collected near platforms. Compared with control fish, creole fish and vermilion snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens collected near platforms had more frequent gill lesions. Southern hake from platform stations had an increased prevalence of hepatic fatty change. Pathogens were not observed in association with the lesions that were more common in fish collected near platforms. The toxicants causing these lesions cannot be determined from this study because the lesions could have been caused be a wide variety of chemicals.