Division of Fish and Wildlife\u2019s Dr. Todd Miller described at the Asia Pacific Academy of Science conference last week how the CNMI tried to solve the Tinian and Saipan hiyok die-off mystery that happened this year. <\/p>\n
He said they are still not sure what exactly caused the deaths of thousands of hiyok. But in toxicological analysis done by the U.S. Geological Survey\u2019s National Wildlife Health Center, stomach contents of the fish were blended and injected into rats, with fatal results.<\/p>\n
These results became a \u201csmoking gun,\u201d according to Miller, pointing at whatever the hiyok was eating as the cause of mortality.<\/p>\n
The muscle parts of the fish were blended and injected into rats but the rats turned out OK, Miller said.<\/p>\n
Dissection histology tests were also performed on the fish. Miller said the hiyok that were found alive appeared \u201cdrunk\u201d and \u201cwaddling around.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tests, however, indicated no tissue damage, no parasites in the tissue, full stomachs, and no presence of parasites in the intestines.<\/p>\n
He said the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal quality also did water sampling surveys for bacteria and E. coli, for example, but that \u201cnothing out of the ordinary\u201d was found.<\/p>\n
He said the die-offs were not due to a water quality issue. DFW also did \u201cvery large surveys\u201d around Tinian where the die-off began, Miller said.<\/p>\n
Upwards of 4,000 fish were found in one die-off event, he said.<\/p>\n
There has been no indication that hiyok die-offs have occurred on Rota or Guam, according to Miller.<\/p>\n
The die-offs began on Tinian and seemed to move northward, according to Miller.<\/p>\n
The hiyok is one of the biggest contributors to the CNMI\u2019s fish markets, he said.<\/p>\n
Will the die-offs happen again? Miller said DFW does not know, but if it does it will probably happen in the same window between July, August, and September.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe important part is to be prepared for when that happens, that people know and call in so we can quantify this and get the right samples to the lab,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Miller\u2019s APASEEM presentation was titled \u201cWhat the Hiyok is Happening? A report on the hiyok die-offs in the CNMI.\u201d Mike Tenorio, Sean Macduff, Trey Dunn, and Frank Villagamoz were listed as those involved in the project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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