Fukushima effect

[beau thai]

Talking to someone about seafood the other day, they expressed surprise that I still eat seafood in Thailand because of the 'Fukushima' effect.

I know its hard to believe 'news' about Fukushima but there are many leaks about many leaks still. It had just never occurred to me that with ocean flows etc, there is likely to be radiation etc contamination in Thai fishing waters.

There is always someone to warn you that whatever food is bad for you, but it made me think.

For sure, economic factors will drive the news and not health factors, but I wonder what other (more knowledgable?) TV readers think?

We all have to die one day but I am having too much fun to want to accelerate the process!

[NancyL]

Judging by the direction of the flow of the debris from the earthquake, don't the people on the west coast of the U.S. have much more cause for concern than us here in Chiang Mai.? But, I'm not an expert on ocean currents and judging by what I read on product labels during a shopping trip yesterday to Macro specifically to buy frozen seafood for our home freezer, I suspect we're enjoying seafood from all over the world here in Chiang Mai.

Edited January 18, 2014 by NancyL

[onthedarkside]

Not really Chiang Mai specific. maybe better in the health forum ---> moving

[heybruce]

It's a ridiculous concern. I've read nothing about radiation contamination beyond the immediate vicinity of Fukishima. It's a big ocean and what radiation entered from that comparatively small source is diluted to the point of being immeasurable by the time it gets this far away. Any "radioactive fish" originating from there would die or recover before coming this far.

If you want to worry about seafood, worry about contamination from pollution, unsanitary conditions in fish and shrimp farms, proper refrigeration and cleanliness on the way to the market or restaurant, etc. These are legitimate concerns.

[Chicog]

http://deepseanews.com/2013/11/true-facts-about-ocean-radiation-and-the-fukushima-disaster/

[Dante99]

It's a ridiculous concern. I've read nothing about radiation contamination beyond the immediate vicinity of Fukishima. It's a big ocean and what radiation entered from that comparatively small source is diluted to the point of being immeasurable by the time it gets this far away. Any "radioactive fish" originating from there would die or recover before coming this far.

If you want to worry about seafood, worry about contamination from pollution, unsanitary conditions in fish and shrimp farms, proper refrigeration and cleanliness on the way to the market or restaurant, etc. These are legitimate concerns.

You might read further to get a better understanding of the issue. Your views are not consistent with numerous reports.

[Sceptict11]

Just check seafood prior to consumption with a

Geiger counter !

Easy !

[Jose]

true-facts-about-ocean-radiation-and-the-fukushima-disaster

Simpsons guide to radiation? Beware of any "true facts" that involve the use of ridicule as a rhetorical ploy in any serious scientific discussion.

In terms of human/animal health, damage from scattered background environmental radiation is usually considered trivial when compared to the potential health damage from ingested contaminated food. Most naysayers point to the low average concentration measurement of Cesium 137 monitored in the Pacific ocean, but they seem to avoid any debate on the concentration of toxins stored within marine fatty tissue, specially in the larger fish (eg Tuna) up the food chain.

Play it safe - for the lowest concentration of any potential toxins (mercury, PCBs, chemicals, radiation), stick to Spanish/Portuguese sardines in olive oil.

[heybruce]

It's a ridiculous concern. I've read nothing about radiation contamination beyond the immediate vicinity of Fukishima. It's a big ocean and what radiation entered from that comparatively small source is diluted to the point of being immeasurable by the time it gets this far away. Any "radioactive fish" originating from there would die or recover before coming this far.

If you want to worry about seafood, worry about contamination from pollution, unsanitary conditions in fish and shrimp farms, proper refrigeration and cleanliness on the way to the market or restaurant, etc. These are legitimate concerns.

You might read further to get a better understanding of the issue. Your views are not consistent with numerous reports.

Care to reference any of these reports?

[Donnie Brasco]

It's a ridiculous concern. I've read nothing about radiation contamination beyond the immediate vicinity of Fukishima. It's a big ocean and what radiation entered from that comparatively small source is diluted to the point of being immeasurable by the time it gets this far away. Any "radioactive fish" originating from there would die or recover before coming this far.

If you want to worry about seafood, worry about contamination from pollution, unsanitary conditions in fish and shrimp farms, proper refrigeration and cleanliness on the way to the market or restaurant, etc. These are legitimate concerns.

You might read further to get a better understanding of the issue. Your views are not consistent with numerous reports.

Care to reference any of these reports?

Obviously there are huge concerns.

Google Arne Gunderson at Fairwinds. Arne worked on Three Mile Island and consulted on Chernobyl. He's the go-to guy on nuclear "events".

Dr Helen Coldicott will scare the living bejaysus outta you as well.

But she's likely right.

Three failed Nuclear Reactors in melt down and a fuel rod storage facility balancing like a broken aquarium on a cheap card table ?? All this about 128 km from Tokyo ??

The ensuing media black out wasn't a conspiracy.

It was just that there really IS nothing to be done here.

Well, except to sue Tepco, GE and a few others.

But yeah, fish is cheap now. Japanese vegetables from that area bear examination I would say.

Don't mind me, please.

I took my head out of that sand decades ago, chaps.

Feels better out here in the light of day.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[rsokolowski]

Fukushima was a serious nuclear accident. However, if you eat a couple of bananas every day or fly on an airplane you are likely receiving more radiation from these activities than if you ate seafood for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight snack.

I would not recommend fishing off the Fukushima breakwater for the seafood you eat every day, but fishing right next to a broken nuclear reactor would be a silly thing to do. Almost as silly as worrying about harmful levels of radiation from Fukushima reaching the Gulf of Thailand or Indian Ocean seafood.

[heybruce]

It's a ridiculous concern. I've read nothing about radiation contamination beyond the immediate vicinity of Fukishima. It's a big ocean and what radiation entered from that comparatively small source is diluted to the point of being immeasurable by the time it gets this far away. Any "radioactive fish" originating from there would die or recover before coming this far.

If you want to worry about seafood, worry about contamination from pollution, unsanitary conditions in fish and shrimp farms, proper refrigeration and cleanliness on the way to the market or restaurant, etc. These are legitimate concerns.

You might read further to get a better understanding of the issue. Your views are not consistent with numerous reports.

Care to reference any of these reports?

Obviously there are huge concerns.

Google Arne Gunderson at Fairwinds. Arne worked on Three Mile Island and consulted on Chernobyl. He's the go-to guy on nuclear "events".

Dr Helen Coldicott will scare the living bejaysus outta you as well.

But she's likely right.

Three failed Nuclear Reactors in melt down and a fuel rod storage facility balancing like a broken aquarium on a cheap card table ?? All this about 128 km from Tokyo ??

The ensuing media black out wasn't a conspiracy.

It was just that there really IS nothing to be done here.

Well, except to sue Tepco, GE and a few others.

But yeah, fish is cheap now. Japanese vegetables from that area bear examination I would say.

Don't mind me, please.

I took my head out of that sand decades ago, chaps.

Feels better out here in the light of day.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

A quick Google search revealed no published papers by these two people, only videos which I didn't watch. I still maintain that the radiation released by Fukushima pose no risk to Thailand seafood. But if you like, I'll rephrase my original question:

Care to reference any published, peer reviewed studies or reports?

[h90]

It's a ridiculous concern. I've read nothing about radiation contamination beyond the immediate vicinity of Fukishima. It's a big ocean and what radiation entered from that comparatively small source is diluted to the point of being immeasurable by the time it gets this far away. Any "radioactive fish" originating from there would die or recover before coming this far.

If you want to worry about seafood, worry about contamination from pollution, unsanitary conditions in fish and shrimp farms, proper refrigeration and cleanliness on the way to the market or restaurant, etc. These are legitimate concerns.

I read that in Japan they often catch contaminated fish. My concern is: They can't sell it in Japan. They can't export it to USA or Europe. But surely they can export it to Thailand if they pay a small fee.

But yes I see the far bigger risk in domestic pollution, unsanitary conditions and chemicals to let the rotten fish appear fresh.

[Ajaan]

Judging by the direction of the flow of the debris from the earthquake, don't the people on the west coast of the U.S. have much more cause for concern than us here in Chiang Mai.? <snip>

Nope, that's another unfounded load of crap circulating on the internets...debunking here:

http://www.snopes.com/photos/technology/fukushima.asp

[lopburi3]

Many name calling posts and replies removed.