How Are Fish Affected by Water Pollution?

Journal of Fisheries Research thus focuses on a broad spectrum of topics in which the water pollution is a big concern for fish population.

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities. Water bodies include for example lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced into the natural environment. For example, releasing inadequately treated wastewater into natural water bodies can lead to degradation of aquatic ecosystems. In turn, this can lead to public health problems for people living downstream. They may use the same polluted river water for drinking or bathing or irrigation. Water pollution is the leading worldwide cause of death and disease, e.g. due to water-borne diseases.

The causes of water pollution include a wide range of chemicals and pathogens as well as physical parameters. Contaminants may include organic and inorganic substances. Elevated temperatures can also lead to polluted water. A common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants and industrial manufacturers. Elevated water temperatures decrease oxygen levels, which can kill fish and alter food chain composition, reduce species biodiversity, and foster invasion by new thermophiles species.

How water pollution harms fish population:

When nutrients wash into waterways through storm runoff, they deplete oxygen in the water that fish need to survive. Nitrogen and phosphorus typically enter streams and lakes from fertilizers, dog waste, and other sources. Over time, these nutrients build up in the water and promote algae and water plant growth, and as they decay, they lower oxygen levels in the water. Algal blooms can be harmful to fish as they feed upon algae, toxins accumulate within the fish, and when a predator fish consumes that fish, they too are consuming higher toxin levels.

Pesticides and heavy metals that enter waterways can also harm or kill fish. Synthetic pesticides used for weed and bug control are toxic in even small amounts. Heavy metals created when fossil fuels are burned enter the atmosphere, eventually making their way into bodies of water. Exposure to heavy metals can impair a fish’s ability to smell, disrupting its ability to locate food and protect itself from predatory animals and fish.

Our esteemed journal is looking forward for the upcoming issue (Volume 3: Issue 2) for the upcoming year issue as all the authors are invited to submit their recent scientific work through manuscripts in the mode of Research/Case Reports/Case Studies/Reviews/Short Review/ Short Communications/Commentaries/Short Commentaries/Letters to Editor/ Image articles etc.,

Authors can submit the manuscript through online portal or by the email: fisheriesres@journaloa.org

With Regards,

Anna D Parker

Editorial Asssistant

Journal of Fisheries Research