Highly radioactive cesium detected in northeastern Fukushima, Japan
Radioactive cesium fivefold higher the permitted levels have been detected in a black rockfish found in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, a local fishing association announced on Monday, February 22, 2021.
Roughly 500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium was detected in black rockfish caught 24 m (79 feet) deep near the town of Shinchi in the prefecture, surpassing the national standard level of 100 becquerels per kilogram.
Since then, the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Association has suspended the distribution of the particular fish until it can confirm their safety.
The voluntary cancellation of seafood shipments marks the first time since October 2019, when around 53 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium was found in a white sea perch, exceeding the standard level of 50 becquerels per kilogram set by the fishing body.
The association has been conducting limited-scale test fishing since June 2012. After the shipping ban on common skate was lifted in February 2020, the shipment of all fish was allowed. The fishing body aims to resume full operations by April.
Black Rockfish (Sebastes melanops). Image credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium/WikiMedia
Featured image: High-purity caesium-133 stored in argon. Credit: WikiMedia
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It isn’t just ‘near’ the plant…..it’s EVERYWHERE! Why do people ‘believe’ (belief systems are NOT based on FACTS or REASON), that Fukushima is NOT STILL in ‘melt-down’?? The contamination is ALL OVER that region, all over the Pacific Ocean and into the US, Central and part of S America. And will CONTINUE to be contaminated for MILLIONS of years!