Scientists May Have Solved The Mystery Behind The Mass Death Of The Endangered Coho Salmon

Scientists believe they have solved the mystery behind the mass death of coho salmon. The mass death of the coho salmon is happening when they return from the Pacific to spawn on the West Coast.

The salmon have been dying in huge numbers after the heavy rain season each fall in the streams on the West Coast. In these events, 40% and even up to 90% of the coho salmon can die. Scientists have been researching the mysterious mass death of fish since the early 2000s.

They recently discovered what is causing the fish to die in huge numbers. It is a chemical from tires call 6PPD which pretty much used in all tires. The chemical 6PPD is put in tires to make the tread last longer. When tires wear on the road it leaves particles of microplastic on the roadways. When the ozone reacts with the pieces of microplastics it changes it to a byproduct called 6PPD-quinone.

The 6PPD-quinone was found in roadway runoff taken by scientists across the West Coast. They believe this chemical is the reason for the mass death of the coho salmon because it is toxic to the species.

Healthy coho salmon are a key part of the ecosystem and food chain.

Scientists also think the toxic chemical could be affecting other fish species and even humans. Coho salmon is considered an endangered species.

This makes you wonder what is actually better to eat wild-caught fish or farmed fish. Each has its pros and cons but in wild fish, you have to ask are you consuming more chemicals from pollution?

Source: CNN