Why only now?

March 29, 2012

Fish within 20 km of Fukushima plant to be studied

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120329_04.html

The operator of the disabled Fukushima nuclear power plant plans to begin monitoring radiation off the coast of the no-entry zone by collecting samples of marine life.

The announcement by Tokyo Electric Power Company on Wednesday is in response to requests by fishing cooperatives and researchers who have been calling for full-fledged studies into the impact of radioactive contamination on marine life in the area.

Fishing is banned within a 20 kilometer radius of the plant.

TEPCO says it will collect fish and seashell samples from 20 locations within the zone. It will study what kind of radioactive materials the catch contains, and their densities.
Similar studies have already been conducted beyond the 20 kilometer radius by the national government, Fukushima prefecture and others.

TEPCO will ask fishermen to carry out the research with the aim of providing necessary data on radiation that will help authorities determine when fishing can resume in the area.

Massive amounts of highly contaminated water were released into the ocean in the wake of the nuclear accident last March.