A nuclear lecturer says the low levels of radioactivity found in tuna caught near San Diego can produce a small increase in cancer risks.<br/> <br />Daniel Hirsch, lecturer on nuclear policy at the University of California, is concerned about the radioactive tuna caught in August last year that reportedly swam from Japan.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) DANIEL HIRSCH, PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE TO BRIDGE THE GAP, A NUCLEAR POLICY GROUP, AND LECTURER ON NUCLEAR POLICY AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ, SAYING:<br/> <br />"So the concern is that not any individual person eating one tuna is going to have a problem, but that over large numbers of people, the small increase in radiation will produce a small increase in cancer risks."<br/> <br />Researchers believe the fishes left Japanese waters about a month after the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant<br/> <br />The discovery has alarmed many people like Hirsch, but he says there is no easy solution either.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) DANIEL HIRSCH, PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE TO BRIDGE THE GAP, A NUCLEAR POLICY GROUP, AND LECTURER ON NUCLEAR POLICY AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ, SAYING:<br/> <br />"The fundamental lesson is to never let this happen again.We cannot live in a world that we are so dependent upon, and continue to have events that release vast amounts of radioactivity into that environment. It comes back to us."<br/> <br />Most of the radiation was released over a few days in April 2011 after the incident<br/> <br />Unlike some other compounds, radioactive cesium does not quickly sink to the sea bottom but remains dispersed in the water.<br/> <br />Fishes can swim right through it, ingesting it through their gills.<br/> <br />Sophia Soo, Reuters.
