Organochlorine pesticides in the tissues of the great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) (Waldbaum)

The abdominal fat of adult barracuda caught in Florida waters was analyzed for organochlorine pesticides. Of a total of 281 fish, 63 % had 5 to 760 g abdominal fat. The fat of 96 % of these fish contained DDT or one of its isomers or metabolites. Except for the smallest and largest fish, the ratio of total DDT in fat to kg body weight remained constant (0.08 to 0.11 mg/kg). During the spawning season, in addition to fat, certain organs and tissues of these fish were also analyzed. The highest pesticide concentrations were found in the fat. Assigning to the concentration of total DDT in abdominal fat a value of 10, the rating for the concentration of total DDT in the liver becomes approximately 1.1, in the pyloric cecum 1, in flesh 0.7, and for the fully developed gonads 0.5. It seems unlikely that larval barracuda are affected unfavorably by these low concentrations of DDT unless they are exceedingly sensitive to this compound. Since the quantity of abdominal fat and tissue pesticide concentrations were highest at the beginning and lowest during the height and end of the spawning season (and if this should apply to other fish species), then it can be concluded that spot-checking fish tissues for pesticides once or twice a year, more likely than not, provides misleading information with regard to pollution. Tissues and flesh of all barracuda were fed to cats, with no symptoms of ciguatera.This investigation was supported by U.S. Public Health Service grant No. 3 P01 ES00052-07 and 07S1/9001908 and Dept. of Commerce NOAA Sea Grant No. 2-35147.