Reproductive Impairment In Two Species Of Fish From Contaminated Areas Off Southern California

Abstract

The reproductive success of white croaker (Genyonemus linea­ tus) and kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus), important sport and commercial fishes, was lower in degraded habitats near Los Angeles than in reference areas some distance away. Body burdens of chlorinated hydrocarbons were an order of magni­ tude higher in females from the contaminated site. The percent of fish spawning was 24-68% lower, batch fecundity was 36-44% lower, and proportion of eggs fertilized was 14-45% lower at the contaminated site. These data may partially explain reductions in stocks of local sport and commercial fishes in southern Cali­ fornia in the last four decades.