Incidence of Epidermal Lesions in Fish of the North-East Irish Sea Area, 1971

Abstract

THE fish of the North-East Irish Sea (Fig. 1) and Solway Firth area have been surveyed continuously by ourselves and others since 1959 at least. During the period until the end of 1970, epithelial lesions were not observed to a significant degree. In March 1971, however, concurrent with observations made by fishermen, a marked incidence of such disease was noted in plaice(Pleuronectes platessa) and dab(Limanda limanda)(Fig. 2). A confirmed occurrence off the coasts of Cumberland, Kirkcudbrightshire, as well as unconfirmed reports from Luce Bay, Wigtownshire, and Bahama Bank, Isle of Man, indicate that fish from some 1,500 square miles of sea were affected.