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Article: Study shows sturgeon in trouble.
- Article from:
- ORian
- Article date:
- April 9, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Oregonian. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Michael Milstein
Apr. 9--Pesticides and other pollution have turned Columbia River reservoirs into chemical stews playing havoc with the bodies of hulking white sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish on the continent.
A team of researchers that examined 174 sturgeon caught by commercial and tribal fishermen found male and immature females tricked by chemicals into thinking they are full of estrogen, a female hormone with feminizing effects. Male fish tainted with a cocktail of compounds including mercury and a byproduct of the banned pesticide DDT showed depressed testosterone levels, which could keep them from maturing enough to spawn.
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