Fukushima Radiation

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Salty
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Fukushima Radiation

Post by Salty »

Fellow Fishermen,
It has been difficult for me to try and explain to several of my friends what our best understanding of the hazards of Fukushima are in light of some of the inflamatory information being posted and published. This is the best explanation I have seen. Thanks Jonathan.


From Alaska Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkin

About that Fukushima Radiation...
Winter means two things: snow and the legislative session. I'm also a firm believer this is the best possible use of legislative vanity license plates.Winter means two things: snow and the legislative session. I'm also a firm believer this is the best possible use of legislative vanity license plates.
Since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I've been trying to find zen with the the ongoing Fukushima nuclear mess. Between colossal tax cuts for oil companies, a budget forecast that induces acid reflux, and Medicaid un-expansion, I barely had the brainspace to worry whether my dad's smoked sockeye was going to give me colon cancer or turn me into a mutant.

I abandoned my studied indifference when the CBC came out with an alarmingly-titled article in November: "Radiation from Japan nuclear plant arrives on Alaska coast." I hold plenty of things against Canada, namely their 2010 Olympic men's and women's hockey teams, but the CBC, that venerable and trustworthy news institution, is not one of them.

I resolved to learn more. On a trip back east, I passed through D.C. and had the good fortune to sit in on a congressional briefing by Dr. Ken Buesseler of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Dr. Buesseler is America's foremost expert on oceanic radiation; his presentation was equally authoritative.

A friend's photo from a wonderful koo.ex in Klawock. What good is a legislator? Good for picking up garbage, of course!
A friend's photo from a wonderful koo.ex in Klawock. What good is a legislator? Good for picking up garbage, of course!
The crib notes: There's no reason to move to Nebraska! We're not all gonna die — or get cancer or become mutants. The water in Japan is iffy but still safe, and the water 5,000 miles away here in Alaska, is as pure, pristine, and uncarcinogenic as the mountain streams of Southeast Alaska.

When we talk Fukushima radiation, we're talking Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope which is (surprise!) extremely bad for you and extremely good at giving you cancer. Cesium-137 is measured by what are called "becquerels" (pronounced "beck-er-ELLS") per meter cubed (abbreviated Bq/m3). Right now, the water immediately off Japan registers about 2,000 Bq/m3 of Cesium-137.

Consider the following: 50,000,000 Bq/m3 can cause birth defects in marine organisms. 7,400 Bq/m3 is the EPA limit for safe drinking water. There are 12 Bq of naturally occurring radiation in a banana. The natural radioactivity of the ocean is 2 Bq/m3.

Fukushima Radiation Cesium-137 measurements in ocean

The water off Japan (2,000 Bq/m3) is elevated and is hardly a best-case scenario, but it's not as though it's going to spawn Godzilla.

But remember! This is radiation measured off Fukushima, Japan. It's many thousands of miles away from Alaska. I may have voted against the bill weakening cruise ship wastewater standards, but Fukushima radiation is a classic example for which the solution to pollution is in fact dilution.

The vast Pacific Ocean is diluting Cesium-137 radioactivity by nearly 200 percent by the time the Kuroshio Current carries Fukushima water to our side of the Pacific. Water contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant is forecast to arrive on the West Coast, well... right about now. Computer models predict that Fukushima-contaminated water washing up on the West Coast has between 1 Bq/m3 and 30 Bq/m3 of Cesium-137. (Remember, 7,400 Bq/m3 is the EPA limit, and 2 Bq/m3 is the naturally occurring level.) Early data gathered up and down the West Coast corroborates these predictions.

To be clear: there may well be more radiation in a banana (and who doesn't love bananas?) than off our Alaska coast.

A few days before Christmas, I went over to a friend's place for a gingerbread house party. Alaskans being Alaskans, this was the result.A few days before Christmas, I went over to a friend's for holiday merriment. Alaskans being Alaskans, this was the result.
As I said, there's no reason to move to Nebraska!

But, we absolutely need to cautiously monitor the situation. There are legitimate reasons to be concerned about Fukushima, and the Department of Environmental Conservation should play a visible, proactive leadership role. It has not. Unchecked by fact, fear-mongering Facebook posts that make the entire Pacific Ocean look as though it's practically boiling with nuclear radiation are stirring up paranoia.

Facebook is good for photos of your best friend's impossibly cute newborn baby. But for Fukushima information, take it from Dr. Buesseler of Woods Hole: the Pacific is safe and so is our seafood.
Drew
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by Drew »

It's just common sense really. How could the radiation move across the ocean in a dangerous concentration? That isn't how diffusion works, the Pacific ocean is fricking huge.

There is a lot of paranoid and fear mongering information on Facebook though. There is a big difference in the quality and the sources of the information in the articles written by real scientist and those claiming that the pacific is a wasteland.

These are good articles that I've seen.

http://deepseanews.com/2014/01/all-the- ... a-impacts/

http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=83397&t ... &cid=94989


For people that are convinced that there is a conspiracy or cover up by our government here is a good way to convince them. On the issue of global warming nearly all of the scientists are in consensus that it is real and the only articles disputing it are for the most part not written by scientists. These same scientists say that radiation from fukushima is not dangerous once you are away from Japan. Why do you believe the scientists are telling the truth on one subject, but are part of a conspiracy coverup on the other subject?
Salty
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by Salty »

Drew,
Thanks, I have forwarded these links around.
Salty
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by Salty »

More on Fukushima radiation effects on marine seafood:

http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2014/0 ... consumers/
akfish
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by akfish »

Pacific Fishing also had a great article!
Salty
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by Salty »

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/allyoucan ... radiation/

Great article you should share with your friends who are concerned. There seems to be a lot of unwarranted concern here in the NW.

Short story, our salmon are not contaminated. Still one of the best foods on the earth for taste and health.
mydona
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by mydona »

One more article focusing on POW Is. and WA. fish tested; http://m.ktuu.com/news/alaska-salmon-pa ... index.html
John Murray
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Re: Fukushima Radiation

Post by John Murray »

I was outside for a bit recently and the subject came up numerous time.So people are concerned and wondering how to proceed.Its hard to turn around the perception of harm.I got the feeling people are using salmon/seafood less because of this perceived harm.
I think something needs to be done and if the Feds don't Alaska should unite with the other West coast state and get the word out.This limbo state is not good for our industry.
Thanks to our Sitka House Rep for doing something on a local level,its a start.
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