Cesium in Fukushima fish

September 20, 2012

Excessive cesium found in 9 types of fish caught near Fukushima plant

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120920p2g00m0dm004000c.html

FUKUSHIMA (Kyodo) -- Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday that excessive levels of radioactive cesium were detected in nine types of fish caught between Aug. 20 and Sept. 5 in the sea within a 20-kilometer range of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Cesium measuring as much as 1,350 becquerels per kilogram was found in greenling hauled 1 km off the coast of Minamisoma in Fukushima Prefecture on Sept. 5. The level of cesium was far higher than the 100 becquerels deemed by the Japanese government as safe for consumption.

The utility, which operates the crisis-hit nuclear plant, also said 540 becquerels and 390 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kg were detected respectively in rock fish and skate caught in the waters.

Fishing in the sea off Fukushima Prefecture is voluntarily restricted except for trial fishing for certain types of marine products, so such contaminated fish would not have made it to markets, according to the prefectural government.

A record high 25,800 becquerels of cesium per kg was found in greenling caught on Aug. 1 at a depth of 15 meters in the same waters, according to Tokyo Electric.