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Orca Lulu's body contained PCB levels 100x above the safe limit. Image: SMASS

Toxic tides, troubled whales: the toll of chemical pollution

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Group of orcas at surface

Breaking barriers for whales and dolphins at the Convention of Migratory Species

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Tokyo

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Amazon river dolphins leaping

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Researchers in Southeast Alaska studying whale poo

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Dolphins captured for captivity in Taiji. Image: Hans Peter Roth

Loved and killed – whales and dolphins in Japan

Protests and criticism from outside Japan in response to the slaughter of whales and dolphins...

Norway lobbied for higher toxins levels in farmed salmon exports to the EU

Just after Norwegian scientists reported concerns about levels of pollutants in Norwegian farmed salmon, Aftenposten reports that Norway has successfully lobbied the EU to allow farmed salmon to be exported to the EU which have been fed on foodstuffs with a higher levels of toxins than was previously acceptable.

The Nordic Page reports that the report states that Women, children and adolescents should avoid eating farmed salmon, according to Norwegian doctors and international experts. The reason is that salmon feed contains harmful pollutants.

Talking to VG, specialist Anne-Lise Birch Monsen and Physician and professor of medicine, Bjørn Bolann say that it is uncertain in both the amount of toxins and how they affect children, adolescents and pregnant [women]. They point out that the type of contaminants that have been detected in farmed salmon have a negative effect on brain development and is associated with autism, AD / HD and reduced IQ.”

Atlantic salmon parr emerging from streambed.

We have seen this problem before in toxin build up in whales and dolphins. What is new is that in this case is that Norwegian authorities have actively campaigned to increase toxin loads in feed for salmon that will eventually enter the European Union.